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 the altar

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

he was saying that priests are keeping their eyes on them and not

and refreshments. Isn’t this quite great

and then suddenly

"Ah, in addition.”

toward the sky with his

people face to face before the celebration starts. He wishes to have tea with those people.

of the central temple… The

starts at noon… That was when the White Star would reveal himself to the

‘Honorable my ass.’

different inner thoughts.

at Cale before continuing

highness, crown

to the front of the

to the rear of the middle of the group, Alberu was in

refreshments with the White Star-nim. You’re happy,

“…Of course.”

come

to him

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

had not called over or come

two of them were not giving any signals through their eyes or greeting each other right now

‘He looks terrible.’

Alberu with a stoic expression on

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

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

okay. Praying

Your faith is

Alberu just continued looking forward without any changes to

of

his temper. However, his face still

the prince from the Breck Kingdom please step

would have this secret meeting

rare to have an intimate conversation with the

made that comment to the people standing next to him before

Young

even more silent

Sayeru respectfully ordered Cale.

“Please come forward.”

started peeking

the center of the people who had fought against

going to

quietly looked

Tap. Tap.

He stopped in front of Cale and asked the still

master Cale, are you not

not been smiling at

Bear King called out to the person who was not

“Cale Henituse.”

person who had only been looking

“Priest Sayeru-nim.”

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

much

at

want me to do

turned his

his face closer

down this much

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

if he was breathing out, with the scowl

too many things from

step back, looked forward

“…Ha.”

came out of Sayeru's

were slightly nodding their heads. They understood where Cale

to Puzzle City to deliver

had not shown

was enough for some people to think that

realized

he was acting calm on

was at his limits holding

“Ha, haha-”

laughing out loud now. He could finally

if he

had done everything for the sacrifice delivery

Henituse who dared to go against the White Star's order and

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

patted Cale’s

there is

defeated fool who refused to make eye

next sacrifice? Nobody knows who it may

Cale without any regrets, headed out of the third floor with the

that point. Many people were looking at him with

‘Phew, that was close.’

was relieved on

apart, but my condition might be revealed if I

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

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

bad if he found out

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

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

Henituse is

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

“…He’s done for.”

eyes without

Time quickly passed by.

Boom- boom- boom-

It was now noon.

sitting down at the chair at

The White Star.

bastard wearing the white half mask that covered above his nose was sitting on

Woooooooooooooooo–

from the altar… The residents of Puzzle City and people

forced to come observe were at the center

set like this on purpose with dividers to separate the cheering crowd with

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

be able to see the sacrifices as well as they

Cale looked around.

but the crowd had a lot of followers of the

the fervor spreading out of the cheering

see the

At that moment…

‘Mm.

Star

he was

not avoid the White

“Pffft.”

Star laughed and

a clear sign

for that

‘Ah, that scared me.’

Cale was relieved.

‘He didn't find out.’