Trash of the Count's Family

TCF2-22

Shaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa-

The black rain was as thick as the unexpected rainfall in the middle of summer.

Clunk. Clunk.

It also brought gusts of wind with it.

“The edge precinct black mages truly are skilled~”

Cale turned his head after hearing the melodious mumbling.

‘He’s smiling?’

The mercenary with disheveled hair was smiling while looking out the window. That made Cale think about his suspicions.

‘Is this bastard really a member of the Agents of Destruction?’

There were not many reasons to send a subordinate out of the capital no matter how many times Cale thought about it.

‘Hmm?’

Cale turned toward the Fourth Imperial Prince who was standing past Zero.

‘As expected, the trash demeanor is just an act.’

The Fourth Imperial Prince, who was looking out the window with quite a serious gaze, had both of his fists clenched. It was only for an instant, but he even cursed under his breath as if he was holding back his anger.

- Human! Will our team be okay? One was smiling like a fool before turning serious while the other was angry but suddenly chuckles and pretends to laugh!

As Raon mentioned, the two candidates had quickly hid their emotions.

‘The two of their emotions aren't the issue right now.’

Cale looked away from the two of them and looked outside.

Swooooooosh-

The black rain mixed with the wind and turned into something like a small storm.

And that storm-

Baaaaaang!

Slammed into the shield.

Crack.

A portion of the shield broke.

"Will this be okay?!”

One of the candidates became shocked and almost shouted to an aide to ask.

One of the aides stepped forward.

‘That person is the one who was speaking to the Margrave.’

Cale recalled that this was the last aide to speak to the Margrave before the Margrave left.

“Please don’t worry. There are over one hundred black mages in Precinct 9. In addition, they are all at least at the middle-grade level.”

The aide’s face was stiff despite telling them not to worry.

“This level of rain cloud is not enough to destroy it.”

The candidate who asked the question seemed a bit relieved after hearing the aide’s confident remarks, but Cale had a thought after hearing the answer.

‘What if it gets past this level of rain cloud?

Then what happens?

Will the shield break?’

Cale heard someone who had the same question as himself.

“Are there instances where it gets worse than this level of rain cloud?”

It was the Second Imperial Princess.

‘Hmm.’

The Second Imperial Princess had formed a team with two candidates who did not stand out much.

‘The team is set up so that the Second Imperial Princess would shine the most if they do their mission well.’

The aide closed her mouth for a moment at the Second Imperial Princess as Cale quickly came up with that assessment.

The rest of the candidates and their subordinates all turned toward her.

Clunk. Clunk.

The wind that seemed to be getting worse was slamming against the window.

Thankfully, there was no black rain hitting the window.

“Currently.”

The aide pushed up her glasses a bit as she responded.

“Currently, there are no rain clouds stronger than this.”

“...It sounds like there will be in the future?”

The aide sighed at the Second Imperial Princess's scary gaze.

“The rain clouds have slowly gotten stronger since the dead mana rain clouds first appeared, your Royal Highness.”

“Mm.”

Someone groaned.

"And the amount of time in between each instance of rain cloud has been getting shorter.”

“Is it impossible to determine the cycle of the rain cloud?”

“Yes, your Royal Highness.”

The Second Imperial Princess looked up at the ceiling for a bit before asking.

“What exactly is this rain? I've never seen something like this before.”

This was also Cale’s first time hearing about this.

‘This is different from the erosion methods the Church told me about.’

There were multiple methods of dead mana erosion spreading throughout Xiaolen, but there were some common symptoms.

‘The ground slowly turns black.

Or liquefied dead mana shoots up from underground in places where the foundation has lost strength.

Finally, river water polluted by dead mana flows down and erodes other pieces of land.

I’ve never heard of it being through rain clouds.’

The eroded lands did have dead mana fog but it was not something that moved.

“The Margrave should be explaining this for all of you, but I will give a short explanation because of the current situation.”

The aide walked toward a wall without a window.

Cale could see a long cloth that resembled a curtain on the wall.

The aide pulled at the cloth.

Chhhhhh-

“It's a map.”

map

map of the

able to see the edge villages of the ten precincts of the

had turned black as well as the current boundary

are the red

of the

precincts, including precinct 9, had red marks

regions where the dead

Clunk. Clunk.

window was

the entire map

precinct 9 but has started to appear in other precincts

looked out the

see the shield in the sky pretty well because they were in a high

the

first rain cloud appeared half a year

Plop. Plop.

were

did we not know about this when

Princess's

is a bit

year was a pretty

didn't tell you about

nodded his head so that it would not be noticed by others after

ago but nobody in

to look at the

Second Imperial Princess as

have been reporting the issue to the Imperial Palace on a

already knows

“Yes ma’am.”

at the First Imperial Prince

Cale did the same.

any expression on his face as if he was an ice sculpture while the Fourth Imperial Prince had his fists clenched and was

“Ha!”

Imperial Princess scoffed

a lot of people who knew

looking back at

for the rain clouds to appear anywhere on the

right, your Royal Highness. However, the rain clouds thankfully have not left the ten precincts

then heard

“...That’s odd.”

Why does it only rain in these

in

someone is

heard his voice as he spoke during

it is the

hearing a

was

Plop. Plop.

ended and the wind was no longer

sky that was slightly grey

each other but the blue sky was slowly dyed by the grey color

the rain

Margrave in charge

Helson was a

we sent people multiple times past the wall to investigate the cause but

Marquis Helson.

this man he received

politics and is from a Margrave family that has been protecting the western part of the Empire for generations. He has a strong

was deep not to the Emperor but

not treat the

‘He’s a fitting character.’

was perfect as a

a letter through the team

only family member, his grandfather the former Marquis, met

was past his mid-thirties but did

he felt losing his family and is determined

to be known by everybody in the

‘Mm.’

back a groan after recalling a piece of

< P.S. >

had added something as

For reference, the Margrave's grandfather had a secret relationship with our

a hidden believer.

former Margrave was

reference, the current Margrave is

course, the Margrave is not a

is just keeping his grandfather's secret

Church had a lot of power despite being called heretics and treated as

Human, why are

and watched as Zero took a step

“Is that our mission?”

after hearing the

will all

mission is a success

“That’s right.”

twisted smile appeared

asked the Margrave

get rid of the cause? Do we get

“Pffft.”

The Margrave scoffed.

be

the room

anxious because of the rain cloud were now

at each other warily or deep in

Marquis calmly spoke

don’t die,

heated air sank

with dead mana. You all have that great and mighty power. However, it will

Marquis pointed out

pointing past

somewhere you can survive through

smile appeared

that if you wish to

Boom.

stomped

aides guide your respective candidates to their lodgings! You will be given areas to strategize with your teams

looked at

had stepped up was

to meet you, everyone. My name is Eaen and I am the top

Imperial Prince opened

determined the aides

Marquis-nim did so,

looked up toward the

was only for

was silently looking at Mary but

Human! That Margrave was looking at Mary with such a fierce

Margrave opened his mouth once

start tomorrow! You will

Marquis seemed more like a soldier or a knight

he treated all of the candidates equally as if they were

“You are dismissed!”

left the area

find any clue in half a year and they want us to take care of it in a

shrugged his shoulders

“Hyung-nim, this is impossible!”

this is

grumbled as

“Tsk.”

at them as if they were foolish before giving the

“To our lodging.”

“Yes, candidate-nim.”

was at

Clunk--!

Fourth Imperial Prince turned his gaze