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.”

a map

a map of the western part

the edge villages of the ten precincts of the

see the areas of the Empire that had turned black as well as

the

the

including precinct 9,

where the dead mana rain clouds

Clunk. Clunk.

window was still shaking

recorded the entire map in his

but has started to appear in

looked out

were in a high spot in the castle. The half-transparent black shield was repeatedly

proof that the black mages were

first rain cloud appeared half a year

Plop. Plop.

raindrops were

not know about this when it happened half a year

Imperial Princess's

This is a bit

year was a

tell

nodded his head so that it would

ago but nobody in the Empire’s capital knows

turned to look at the

the Second Imperial Princess

Imperial Palace on

Palace already knows

“Yes ma’am.”

Imperial Princess looked at the First Imperial

Cale did the same.

if he was an

“Ha!”

Princess scoffed

there are a lot of people who knew

mumbled before looking back at

rain clouds to appear anywhere on the

Royal Highness. However, the rain clouds thankfully have not left the

heard Mary’s

“...That’s odd.”

does it only rain in these precincts before

spoke in a

like someone is controlling the rain

heard his voice

why it is

hearing a voice

Margrave was

Plop. Plop.

almost ended and the wind was no

that was slightly grey beyond the

from each other but the blue sky was slowly dyed by

determined half a year ago that the rain

Margrave in charge

Helson was a Marquis of the

people multiple times past the wall to

Marquis Helson.

recall information about this man he received

of the Empire for generations. He has a strong Knights Brigade and his

loyalty was deep not to the Emperor but to the

meant that he would not treat

‘He’s a fitting character.’

was perfect as

Durst had sent a letter

only family member, his grandfather the former Marquis, met his death fighting against

past his mid-thirties but did not marry despite being

he felt losing his family and is

known

‘Mm.’

after recalling a piece

< P.S. >

had

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

a hidden

former Margrave was a

is aware

the Margrave is not a believer.

is just keeping his grandfather's

and treated as a

why are you

Raon’s comment and watched as

“Is that our mission?”

after hearing the loosely asked

one team with four members will all put finding the source of

mean the mission is a success if we

“That’s right.”

twisted smile appeared on

asked the Margrave

also get rid of the cause?

“Pffft.”

The Margrave scoffed.

be

the room

been anxious because of the rain cloud were now heated

candidates were looking at each other warily or

calmly spoke

you don’t die, that

heated air sank cold

the candidates here should be familiar with dead mana. You all have that great and

pointed out the

pointing

is not somewhere you can survive through just because you are familiar with dead

smile appeared on the

if you wish

Boom.

Marquis stomped

your respective candidates to their lodgings! You will be given areas to strategize with your teams and all necessary information will be

he looked at the aide heading

aide who had stepped up

name is Eaen

Fourth Imperial Prince opened

determined the aides for

Marquis-nim did

up toward

was only

looking at Mary but turned away

looking at Mary with such a fierce gaze until he turned

Margrave opened his mouth

tomorrow!

soldier or a knight

candidates equally as if they were his subordinates who needed to

“You are dismissed!”

left the area first without any

clue in half a year and they want

his shoulders in

“Hyung-nim, this is impossible!”

Haaa, this is

subordinates grumbled as

“Tsk.”

Prince Noi looked at them as if they were foolish before giving the top aide,

“To our lodging.”

“Yes, candidate-nim.”

at that

Clunk--!

Imperial Prince turned his gaze and then