Trash of the Count's Family Vol 2. Chapter 464: Now, Let Us Begin the Deal (3)

“The Demon King has requested a meeting.”

Aurora, the leader of the mediator group, had blurted those words out the moment she hurried into the room, but she froze when she saw Cale awake.

“You’re awake! The Demon King’s army has reached our hidden branch—”

She had been about to continue, but the moment she saw Cale properly, she could not bring herself to say anything more.

She had already confirmed that the unconscious Cale had been suffering from a high fever.

However—

Normally, once he wakes up, he’ll recover, so he’ll be fine.

Contrary to what the ancient dragon had said,

...Doesn’t his condition look worse?

Cale’s face was flushed with fever as he breathed in short, ragged gasps.

Cold sweat covered his entire body, and perhaps because he was dizzy, he could not even hold himself upright properly.

He looked to be in quite a critical state.

“Mm.”

Seeing him like that, she could not find the words.

She knew why he had ended up in that condition.

Right. This was not an ordinary case.

His body had been corrupted by the Pope’s chaos, and he had even absorbed the divine relic that would have caused gray sickness to break out.

On top of that, he had stood alone against the disastrous sea power of the third Emperor, Dragon King, buying time for everyone to flee.

That was why, when she saw Cale’s state after he had arrived here unconscious and vomiting blood, she could not question anything.

She could only pray that he would wake up intact.

“...The Demon King—”

Cale barely forced the words out between his ragged breaths.

“...How did he—”

Even though he could not even speak properly, Cale’s distorted eyes were looking straight at her.

Ah.

Aurora almost let out an exclamation.

Even in that state, he wanted to hear about the matter with the Demon King.

What should she do?

After briefly looking around, she saw Eruhaben nod and opened her mouth.

So that Cale would not need to speak any further, the entire sequence of events flowed from her mouth.

“We have secret branches in cities classified as major cities within the Demon World. The Demon King’s message was delivered to one of them.”

Aurora’s expression twisted for a moment. It was because the Demon King’s side had discovered a secret branch of the mediator group.

Her hardened expression did not ease.

“The branch was discovered because an incident occurred in that major city. The information about that incident was something we were currently about to classify as level-one intelligence, and while confirming that information, one of our operatives was discovered. That is how this situation came about.”

Cale silently listened to her.

He knew this was not some useless side explanation.

There were not many incidents the mediator group would currently consider level-one intelligence.

“...A demon with gray sickness was discovered in that city.”

“!”

Choi Han’s eyes widened, and he froze.

Gray sickness?

Hadn’t Cale blocked that by absorbing the divine relic himself?

“The city is currently sealed off, and according to the intelligence operative, it does not appear to show any particular contagiousness. However, they say they cannot know whether contagiousness will appear later.”

Aurora hesitated briefly before opening her mouth.

“So the Demon King said he would like to personally invite Sir Cale Henituse to the city. He said he would come as well.”

To think that the Demon King, the one who looked at everything with bored eyes, would personally say he wanted to meet Cale.

Aurora was astonished because she knew the Demon King’s cruel and indifferent nature.

At the same time, a question rose in her. Looking at Cale’s state, she could barely bring herself to speak, but because she was a demon, she had to ask.

“...Was gray sickness not stopped?”

Choi Han, who had been standing in the corner, stepped forward and opened his mouth.

“I clearly saw Cale absorb the divine relic.”

Aurora looked at Choi Han at his answer, then flinched. His eyes were far too sharp.

That force in him said he would not tolerate even the slightest hint of blame directed at Cale. Aurora stiffened under it.

Then—

“...How many days has it been?”

Cale opened his mouth.

At those words, Raon, who had been gathering up the apple pie that had fallen onto the bed, answered reflexively.

“Two days, three hours, forty-five minutes, and nine seconds have passed!”

Ron supported Cale and helped him sit properly, leaning against the wall behind the bed.

Cale nodded at Raon’s answer and opened his mouth.

“Haa. I had a dream.”

Cale recalled what Hitelis had said in the Pope’s memory he had seen in that dream.

Still, although the probability is extremely low, among humans with seeds planted in them, humans highly compatible with chaos sometimes germinate the seeds on their own and stain their surroundings with chaos, do they not?

A small, cracked voice reached everyone’s ears through his ragged breathing.

“They say demons among the seeds who are highly compatible with chaos can germinate those seeds on their own. And they can also stain their surroundings with chaos.”

“Mm.”

Many of them understood at once from just that much.

Eruhaben stood beside Cale and spoke.

“The Order of the God of Chaos is truly vicious. In the end, they never intended to scatter gray sickness through the Demon World and fully remove it.”

The Order of the God of Chaos had tried to use gray sickness to spread faith in the God of Chaos through the Demon World and expand its influence.

They had intended to keep shaking the Demon World endlessly with chaos, even when there was no divine relic.

“Then the seed that manifested in the major city now must be one of those cases.”

“Mm.”

After letting out a low hum and thinking for a moment, Aurora continued.

“If it stains the surroundings with chaos, we should assume it is contagious.”

“Probably.”

Cale barely answered and nodded.

—I’m too full.

—It’ll take a while to digest.

As the gluttonous priestess and the Ancient Tree spoke one after another, Cale thought.

I have to go to that city.

No. Not to meet the Demon King. He had to go quickly and catch the gray sickness that had germinated in that major city at its earliest stage.

Otherwise, since it was a large city, there was no telling what kind of disaster it might cause.

In the current situation, I’m the only one who can purify it.

Cale, who could use Purification of Chaos, had to go and purify that gray sickness.

And since I’ll have to make a deal anyway, I have no choice but to meet the Demon King.

He also had plenty to say to that bastard.

“...I have to go.”

The moment Cale said that, Eruhaben immediately opened his mouth.

“That comes later.”

Eruhaben spoke firmly to Cale.

“Purify your body first. You will meet the Demon King after you recover.”

At those words, the other companions silently expressed their agreement.

Aurora’s expression hardened slightly, but even she could not refute him.

After everything he has done, how could we force him to sacrifice himself further?

The Demon King.

Even that cruel being, despite discovering the mediator group’s branch, had requested a meeting rather than attacking.

That must not have been respect for the mediator group, but respect for Cale.

Yes. That is right.

If one was of the Demon World, if one was a demon, then one at least would not harm a benefactor.

The Demon World had held its place as one axis despite the divine realm and heavenly realm’s subtle contempt and pressure. They did not stab those who helped them in the back.

At least, that was what Aurora knew.

If the Demon King is not like that—

Then, Aurora intended not to stand still.

Just as she hardened her resolve as one demon—

“No.”

Cale spoke in a weak but firm voice.

“We are going to the city.”

“Th—!”

Choi Han opened his mouth as if he would immediately object.

But Cale’s next words were a little faster.

“My current condition is not because of the corruption.”

In the rigid atmosphere, Cale did not look away from the worried gazes and spoke calmly.

“This will get better with time.”

It was just indigestion.

“It’s just, mm.”

How should he explain it?

“A side effect from using too much power.”

Right.

It was not as though he could lie for no reason.

Cale honestly explained it to his companions, who worried about him as if it were their own bodies.

—That’s right. It’s because I ate too much.

Eating was the glutton’s work.

So it was true that she had used her power.

—Once the glutton digests what’s making her stomach feel heavy right now, you’ll be fine soon. You just need time.

Cale was listening to the Ancient Tree, and a brief silence formed.

“There is no way, there is no way that can be true. You were corrupted by chaos. How could you possibly be all right—”

Choi Han opened his mouth.

Cale looked at Choi Han and froze.

Why do his eyes look like that right now?

Cale paused when he saw Choi Han’s eyes.

He remembered the beginning.

Choi Han, who had come to Henituse territory after the people of Harris Village had died.

The guy who had been swallowed by revenge and rage, all his edges sharpened, was standing before him now.

Why had this gentle guy suddenly gone back to that time?

Before Cale realized it, the words had slipped out.

“Are you okay?”

At that moment, Choi Han’s face twisted.

He opened and closed his mouth with a look as if he had lost the words to say, then bit his lip.

Why is he acting like that?

Cale observed Choi Han’s state and, for now, answered what he had said.

“You’re right. The corrupted parts are not fine.”

Hoo.

Cale breathed out deeply.

The dizziness was a little less than before, but his condition was definitely poor.

He had no idea how long he would be stuck in this sorry state.

“They hurt.”

Of course the areas corrupted by chaos hurt too.

There was pain.

“So I do need to purify them. But most of the symptoms you can see right now have nothing to do with the corruption. Once time passes, I’ll be fine.”

It was not as though he could give the glutton a digestive medicine, was it?

She said it would digest naturally, so he had no choice but to wait.

“I intend to carry out my purification at the same time as the demon with gray sickness after we go to the city.”

Choi Han moved his lips as if he was about to object, but Cale spoke firmly.

“In my current state, that is the only way.”

Ron, who had been listening quietly, opened his mouth.

“Young master. Are you judging that because there is no way to know when your current physical condition will improve, your body may not be able to endure two purifications?”

“Yes.”

Ron understood him exactly.

Cale did not know when this indigestion would resolve.

Of course, it would gradually improve as time passed, and it was just his intuition, but he did not think it would take that long.

I need to stop the gray sickness quickly, and I need to purify my own body too.

It was much better to do them together while he was at it.

Of course, the pain in his body would continue in the meantime.

That much is nothing.

It did not hurt as much as when he used Instant or when his container shattered.

If he purified his own body and then lacked strength, causing him to fail to purify the gray sickness in time, there was a high probability that it would bring a worse result.

“Please contact the Demon King and tell him we will meet.”

Cale spoke to Aurora, and Aurora, who received his gaze, could not answer.

Cale looked at her with puzzled eyes, and soon saw her answer with a stiff face.

“Yes. I will contact him.”

Then she slowly bent at the waist.

“...Thank you, truly.”

“Yes?”

Why was she suddenly acting like that?

Cale was puzzled, but Aurora straightened and spoke with a solemn face.

“...From this moment until Sir Cale’s movement and his meeting with the Demon King are complete, our mediator group—no, I will take responsibility under my own name to ensure your safety.”

“Uh, yes, well. Please do that.”

It would be good if the mediator group stepped forward.

Cale added to Aurora, who looked terribly solemn.

“Tell the Demon King that I will go as quickly as possible, so he should prepare for the purification first. Please also tell him I dislike useless wastes of time.”

Yes.

He had a fever and was dizzy, so he did not want to waste time on pointless nerve wars.

It would be good to purify his body quickly as well and at least lessen this pain.

And maybe the glutton’s indigestion might improve too.

After all, she had ended up like this from eating chaos, so if Cale purified the chaos inside his body, would the gluttonous priestess not feel a little more comfortable too?

He did not think it was an entirely baseless judgment.

Of course, he could not be certain, so Cale intended to carry out the purification together with the gray sickness in the major city rather than doing it on himself first.

And right now, the Demon King has no choice but to listen to everything I say.

As long as the divine relic was with Cale, the Demon King would not be able to act recklessly, so he would do everything Cale wanted.

The situation was currently on Cale’s side.

When I make the deal later, I’ll add this gray sickness purification too and wring him dry.

Cale intended to receive a great deal of compensation for the damage he had suffered and the hardship he had gone through.

“...Yes. I will be sure to convey it.”

Aurora left the room with a solemn expression, and only then did Cale turn his gaze back toward his companions.

“What about the others?”

Some of them were not there.

“They are undergoing injury treatment.”

Team Leader Sui Khan, Choi Jung Soo, and Clopeh Sekka were not visible.

Cale’s brow furrowed as he recalled their injuries.

“Sigh. When will they recover—”

Cale, who had been muttering his frustration, lifted his head and froze.

“...Why are you looking at me like that?”

The average ten-year-olds.

Cale froze when he saw Raon, Hong, and On staring at him.

“...Human, can you not eat?”

Raon held out the apple pie.

Cale wanted to eat it for him when he saw Raon’s drooping eyes, but—

“......”

He had no choice but to look away from the apple pie.

“Young master. Shall I prepare lemon tea?”

“...Yes.”

Tea seemed better.

His stomach felt too heavy to eat anything.

The average ten-year-olds moved away from Cale and gathered together in the corner of the room.

Cale thought they seemed to be whispering about something, but he could not hear them, so he ignored it.

He was just glad they were not crying.

“This is serious.”

“It’s really serious.”

“We need to study that thing called side effects.”

At the sight of Cale unlike anything they had seen before, the average ten-year-olds’ tears actually dried up.

He would get better with time.

Did that not mean there was no medicine and no way to solve it?

They could not let him go through something like that again.

The thought that this was not the time to merely worry filled the average ten-year-olds’ minds.

They had always learned methods for solving problems from Cale.

That was why they each began seeking their own method of solving this.

“This is all because of chaos.”

“That’s right. But the Wanderers are a problem too!”

“...We can’t just leave them alone.”

“That’s right. The God of Chaos, Five Colored Blood, and the Demon King—we’ll smash them all.”

“I’m going to spread all my poison too!”

“...First, we need to get stronger. At the very least, we need to be able to smash the third Emperor with our own hands.”

Of course, if Cale heard those three talking, he would become even dizzier. But there was no way for him to know.

“Young master, rest for now.”

Ron, with an extremely benign smile filling his face, laid Cale back down on the bed.

“Mm.”

As Cale let out a low hum, Ron smiled and spoke.

“Young master, you were always a troublemaker, both when you were young and now.”

Along with a low laugh.

“Of course, the young master now causes even more trouble and makes this old servant’s heart ache with worry.”

“!”

Cale’s eyes widened in that instant.

The young master now.

The moment Ron said those words, Cale was struck speechless, frustration welling up in him. He also felt surprise.

As expected—

He knew, didn’t he?

No, just how much had this terrifying old man guessed?

“Hoho.”

Ron let out a benign laugh—no, a laugh like an assassin.

Before he realized it, Cale’s body had curled up under the blanket.

Ron could not help but laugh as he watched Cale’s wavering pupils.

“Get better first.”

Since Beacrox had not returned yet, he went to prepare the lemon tea himself and spoke as he left.

“Our young master truly is a handful.”

Cale, pointlessly hunched up, watched Ron’s expression.

Well, it was true that his current condition was not normal enough to say anything right now.

“Choi Han.”

At that moment, before leaving the room, Ron called Choi Han.

“......”

When Choi Han looked at him silently, Ron pointed outside the door.

“Care to help?”

“......”

Choi Han furrowed his brow for a moment, but soon followed Ron out of the room.

“Young master, sleep until it is time to move.”

Ron said this as he closed the door, then chuckled when he saw Cale immediately squeeze his eyes shut and try to fall asleep.

Click.

The door closed, and Ron moved toward the kitchen as he spoke to Choi Han, who was walking beside him.

“We need to get stronger. Don’t we?”

“......”

Ron continued speaking to Choi Han, who could say nothing.

“Has the Heavenly Demon not arrived yet?”

“...Why?”

Choi Han reacted, and he saw a cold