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.”

was telling them to watch the preparation of the altar

around so please let us

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

Isn’t this quite great

smiled and then

"Ah, in addition.”

pointed toward the sky

face before the celebration starts. He wishes to have tea with those people. I'm sure it will be an

fifth floor of the central temple… The White Star was

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

‘Honorable my ass.’

was calm despite his completely different inner thoughts.

Cale before continuing to

highness, crown

the front of the

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

time of refreshments with the White Star-nim. You’re happy, aren’t you, your

“…Of course.”

please come this

next to him and

time Cale saw Alberu’s face in person in

over or come to see Cale at their resting

signals through their eyes or greeting

‘He looks terrible.’

Alberu with a stoic expression on his

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

“Oh no, your highness.”

if he was sad as he continued

hard on you. You seem to be losing more weight by the day. Mm. How about asking the White Star-nim about it? Ask him to

Praying

magnificent. Your faith is

laughed while Alberu just continued looking forward without

son of

losing his temper. However, his face still remained

crown prince Valentino. Oh, the prince from the Breck Kingdom please step

people who would have this

rare to have an

to the people standing

last person. Young

even

Sayeru respectfully ordered Cale.

“Please come forward.”

people started peeking

against the White Star. The past did not disappear just because

you not going

quietly looked

Tap. Tap.

walk. He stopped in front of Cale and asked the still

master Cale, are you

not been smiling at

person who

“Cale Henituse.”

eyes of the person who had only been looking forward slowly

“Priest Sayeru-nim.”

room. His voice was not loud but everybody heard

as much

at

you want me to do

turned his body to

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

bowing down

all sorts of other negative emotions. There were so many that Sayeru could see them

slowly spoke, as if he was

things from

took a step back, looked

“…Ha.”

came out of Sayeru's

people were slightly nodding their heads. They understood where

to Puzzle City

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

people to think that Cale

realized

calm on the outside

person was at his limits holding

“Ha, haha-”

was laughing out loud now. He could

Cale Henituse if he doesn't act

had done everything for

at Cale Henituse who dared to go against the White Star's

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

Sayeru patted Cale’s

there is no

glared at Cale. He warned the defeated fool who refused

be the next sacrifice? Nobody knows who

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

anyone until that

‘Phew, that was close.’

was relieved on

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

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

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

found out before I flipped

of that situation and sat down on

things in the room that was a bit more rowdy

Cale Henituse is

submit if he wants

“…He’s done for.”

eyes without

Time quickly passed by.

Boom- boom- boom-

It was now noon.

sitting down at the chair at the top of the

The White Star.

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

Woooooooooooooooo–

The residents of Puzzle City and people from

at the center of the cheering crowd looking up at the

on purpose with dividers to separate the cheering crowd with the forced spectators. Furthermore, Cale and the others got chairs as a form of

only see the people cheering and the White Star

probably be able to see the sacrifices as well as they step onto

Cale looked around.

crowd had a lot of

fervor spreading out of the cheering and

could see the

At that moment…

‘Mm.

Star looked

was certain that the White Star was

but did not avoid the White

“Pffft.”

Star laughed and turned his

sign that he was

was for

‘Ah, that scared me.’

Cale was relieved.

‘He didn't find out.’