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

all around so please let us know if there is

their eyes on them and not to do anything

refreshments. Isn’t this quite great

smiled and then

"Ah, in addition.”

pointed toward the sky with his

see some people face to face before the celebration starts. He wishes to have tea

the central temple… The White Star

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

‘Honorable my ass.’

inner thoughts. His

Cale before continuing to speak

crown

headed to the front of the

group, Alberu was in the front as he would be giving the

refreshments with the White

“…Of course.”

come this

to him

first time Cale saw Alberu’s face in person in

not called over or come to see Cale at their resting

signals through their eyes

‘He looks terrible.’

Alberu with a

Cale had seen through the video communication device, seeing Alberu

“Oh no, your highness.”

down as if he was sad as he

asking the White Star-nim about it? Ask him

Praying

faith

Alberu just continued looking forward without any

of a

losing his temper.

Caro Kingdom's crown prince Valentino. Oh, the

have

rare to have an

that comment to the people standing next to him before looking forward

last person. Young master Cale

even more silent

Sayeru respectfully ordered Cale.

“Please come forward.”

started

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

you not going to step

quietly looked

Tap. Tap.

He stopped in front of

you not

as if he had not been smiling at

out to the person who was not

“Cale Henituse.”

eyes of the person who had

“Priest Sayeru-nim.”

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

done as much

looked at

want me

then turned his body

and shoved his face closer to Sayeru’s

bowing down this

eyes were full of wrath, annoyance, and all sorts of other negative emotions. There were so many that Sayeru could see them without

person slowly spoke, as if he was

expect too many things from me.

step back, looked

“…Ha.”

short chuckle came out of Sayeru's

heads.

come to

offered. He had not

was enough for some people to

they realized it

he was acting calm

at his limits holding himself

“Ha, haha-”

out loud now. He could

Henituse if

fact that he had done everything

against the White Star's

you

patted

there is

cold eyes glared at Cale. He warned the defeated fool who refused to make eye contact with

next sacrifice? Nobody knows who it

with the people who will enjoy refreshments with the White Star and

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

‘Phew, that was close.’

was relieved

apart, but my condition might be revealed if I am close to the White

the basis, Cale

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

bad if he found out before I flipped everything

he did a good job to slither out of that

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

Henituse is pretty much

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

“…He’s done for.”

eyes

Time quickly passed by.

Boom- boom- boom-

It was now noon.

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

The White Star.

above his nose was

Woooooooooooooooo–

residents of Puzzle City and people from all over

were forced to come observe were at the center of the

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

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

sacrifices as well as they step onto

Cale looked around.

cheer but the crowd had a lot of followers of

of the

see

At that moment…

‘Mm.

Star looked

have been a mistake but he was

not avoid the White

“Pffft.”

laughed

was a clear sign that he was

was for

‘Ah, that scared me.’

Cale was relieved.

‘He didn't find out.’