Trash of the Count's Family Vol 2. Chapter 489: Death of a God (1)
Previously on Trash of the Count's Family...
Cale had woken after being unconscious for two weeks.
And Clopeh Sekka was smiling in front of him.
This bastard’s eyes have gone completely off, haven’t they?
While the average ten-year-olds climbed onto Cale’s bed, gave him apple pie, and pressed their front paws firmly against Cale’s legs—
While Ron, wearing a benevolent expression, covered Cale with the blanket, wiped Cale’s face with a towel, and cleaned the sleep from his eyes—
“Heh heh.”
Clopeh was smiling with eyes that were far too clear, far too sparkling. He looked proud.
That’s exactly what it means for him to have gone off!
Clopeh Sekka was insane when he had that kind of expression. According to Raon, he had spun around 361 degrees.
Munch, munch.
Cale first finished eating one piece of apple pie, then quickly opened his mouth.
“What do you mean, a Demon World-wide tour?”
What, was he going to a concert?
No, was this a nationwide singing contest?
“Hmph.”
Clopeh let out a short laugh.
“During the two weeks Cale slept, the Demon King’s castle publicly announced the gray sickness to the entire Demon World.”
Of course, even before this, the Demon King’s castle had not exactly acted while hiding things, but this time, they had shifted their stance to full public disclosure.
“At present, we have identified every source of gray sickness spread throughout the Demon World, and we are doing our utmost to prevent transmission and manage the infected.”
Two weeks.
That was enough time for the Demon King’s castle and every region of the Demon World, with all information disclosed and their full strength mobilized, to grasp the gray sickness in broad strokes.
In particular, because they had already roughly identified the regions where gray sickness, the seeds of corruption of chaos, had been planted, and because of the immediate response, even after two weeks had passed, they had not allowed the situation to become one that could be called a calamity. They were holding out while creating only the minimum number of infected.
“Uh, but you see—”
Cale thought the Demon King’s castle should be able to handle that much work.
“Why are the demons—”
Cale felt beyond curious. It was as though the back of his head had been dunked into glacial water.
All demons in the Demon World are waiting only for your recovery, Cale, so for now, please rest with an easy heart.
What Clopeh had said was still ringing in his ears.
“Do all those demons know me?”
Grin.
Clopeh merely smiled. That was a truly dangerous smile.
“Cale.”
Even his voice was gentle.
The average ten-year-olds, who had been pressing their paws against him, stopped and their eyes sparkled.
This made him uneasy.
“I recorded everything on video and delivered it to the Demon King’s castle.”
Ah.
Cale’s sigh covered the bed.
“Cale.”
Clopeh was serious.
“As you know, not all demons in the Demon World are friendly toward the Demon King’s castle. In such a situation, to persuade the demons, we had to show them certain proof.”
“No, that’s true, but still—”
“It was necessary. An event where two cities with long histories nearly collapsed. The third Emperor’s attack, the enemy targeting the Demon World, and the disease those enemies spread. To avoid calamity, all demons had to see it.”
“No, that is true, but—”
“And they also had to see that there was hope and a countermeasure by which that terrifying situation could be avoided. Only once the demons confirmed that proof would they gain strength and move swiftly and accurately, would they not?”
“No, you’re right, but—”
“Yes. I am right.”
Clopeh was confident. And calm and serious.
“......”
Cale was left speechless.
A madman who only says things that are true!
Cale opened his mouth again.
“Did you record the ancient site of the demon god too?”
“Yes.”
Clopeh’s momentum was, in truth, so confident that it overwhelmed Cale.
“Hehe.”
Raon laughed, his cheeks slightly less plump than before twitching.
“Now everyone knows how hard our human worked! Everyone should know!”
The moment Cale saw those cheeks, which had grown a little less plump, anger surged in him. But since it was his fault, he pressed it down firmly, picked up a cookie from the bedside table, and handed it to Raon as he spoke.
“This is driving me insane.”
The one remaining ancient site of the demon god.
And it was not just any ancient site.
That ancient site was an actual functioning place, and it was a place guarded by the Gray Tree clan.
That dormant ancient site had activated.
And the human who received its power had stopped a tremendous calamity.
Ugh, my head.
Cale’s head began to hurt.
“Ron.”
“Yes, young master.”
But there were far too many things to resolve.
Young master, you were always a troublemaker, whether when you were young or now.
Of course, the current young master causes even more trouble and makes this old attendant’s heart tighten, but still.
Ron had thrown his body forward to save On.
Cale had not merely remembered that sight; he had unknowingly recorded it. He opened his mouth.
“There are too many things to resolve.”
“Yes.”
“Let’s put off the conversation we need to have for a few days first.”
“......”
Ron did not answer, merely looking at Cale with a strange expression.
Attendant Ron recalled Cale’s urgent expression.
You murderous old man! Why are you startling people like that?!
The words Cale had shouted at him while he was protecting On.
And that expression was the same as when Ron had left alone to deal with Dark, then returned after losing one arm.
Even the expression with which Cale had aimed his blade at the enemy who had done such a thing to Ron.
In the end, Cale had destroyed Dark, and this time, he had captured the third Emperor as well.
“Yes, young master.”
“Call Beacrox too.”
“Yes, young master.”
The current young master and the young master from the past were both truly tenderhearted.
That was why Ron spoke to the young master who was looking at him, his eyes trembling finely.
“I will tell Beacrox it is nothing important. Because that is what it is.”
The young master let out a faint, deflating laugh and answered Ron’s words.
“Ron, if you say so, then that must be what it is.”
“That is correct, young master.”
Looking at this sly and murderous old assassin’s benevolent smile, Cale made up his mind.
The Demon World isn’t the problem right now.
The Demon World was a problem too.
But the moment Cale realized he had not seen the God of Death while he had been unconscious for two whole weeks, he firmly set the order of his tasks.
I’ll take care of the people around me first.
That was why he decided to finish his conversation with Ron and Beacrox within a few days.
“Human, why are you taking out the mirror? Do you have something to say to the God of Death?”
“Yeah.”
The God of Death, who was scheduled to be erased within six months.
The God of Death, whose arm had been torn off and whose body had been dyed gray the last time Cale saw him, who had smiled and said it was nothing even in that serious state, and who did not know he was in pain.
Cale left a message for that infuriating bastard.
<Hey. Are you not going to come see me?>
That was not the end.
<Find out King Zed Crossman’s location.>
Zed Crossman, who was scheduled to die even sooner than the God of Death.
He had to find Crown Prince Alberu’s father.
His current location was constantly changing, and apparently, he was logging into the game.
New World, which was becoming real and not merely a game.
The God of Death had said last time that he could now begin to determine King Zed’s location when he logged into that place.
Because of that, Cale sent one more line to the God of Death, then left a final remark.
<More importantly, answer me as soon as you see this.>
Of course, he also added a small threat.
<If you read this and ignore me, I’m going on strike.>
Cale was looking at the last sentence with satisfaction when he lifted his head at the sound of a knock.
Knock, knock, knock.
The news that Cale had awakened must have been delivered.
“The strategist has come.”
At Attendant Ron’s words, Cale answered.
“Tell him there’s no need to see me now.”
Before he fainted.
The things Cale had experienced then.
“Tell the strategist. Bring the Demon King and come to wherever the third Emperor is imprisoned.”
An unusual light flickered in Clopeh’s eyes.
“The third Emperor is still alive, right?”
Cale asked, but he did not even wait for an answer before continuing.
“We’re going to the third Emperor. Tell Cho and Ryeon to come too.”
Cale raised himself from the bed. He did not need the wheelchair anymore.
—Very good.
As the Ancient Tree said, Cale’s current physical condition was the best it had been in recent times.
Through the purifications and his confrontation with the third Emperor, all the chaos that had remained in his body had been purified cleanly away.
Because of that, the moment he confidently stepped down from the bed—
“!”
Cale staggered.
“I knew this would happen!”
Raon’s scolding voice.
“Young master. You have woken after two weeks.”
Supported by Ron, whose eyes were murderous despite his benevolent smile, Cale obediently sat in the wheelchair.
“Food comes first!”
“You have to eat before you work!”
At On and Hong’s words, Cale could not refute them at all.
—...Uh, mm. Your body is in good condition, but you have no stamina at all!
Cale simply let the Ancient Tree’s words pass through one ear.
How annoying.
He had many things to do, but his body still would not keep up.
Two weeks of unconsciousness.
His body’s condition was now very good thanks to the accumulation of several powers, but he had to replenish his stamina and energy.
*****
The third Emperor was bound to a prison wall, his entire body restrained by the restraints handed down through generations of Demon Kings.
“......”
He was dumbfounded.
Munch, munch.
He was left speechless by the sight unfolding before his eyes.
Munch, munch.
“Young master. The steak is quite good, is it not? The lord’s castle chef made it using a recipe I received from Beacrox.”
A prison located in the deepest underground level of Midi’s lord’s castle.
A place guarded by the Demon King’s royal guard.
Cale Henituse, who had entered that prison, was currently eating a meal in front of the third Emperor.
“......”
Even the royal guard stared at Cale with dumbfounded expressions, but Cale was serious.
Munch, munch.
“Mm. It still isn’t as good as Beacrox’s.”
“Beacrox will be pleased to hear that.”
“Human, eat this salad too!”
“Yeah.”
Munch, munch.
Since he had no time, Cale had chosen to come down to the underground prison and eat there.
“...Wow. Incredible.”
The Wanderers Cho and Ryeon had come with him. Of the two, Cho could not contain his astonishment and opened his mouth, and the third Emperor gazed steadily at Cho before speaking.
“How amusing.”
“!”
Cho flinched at that gaze, and Ryeon quickly stood in front of Cho, who was bigger than she was, staring at the third Emperor.
The third Emperor opened his mouth as though he found them laughable.
“To think you dare betray me. Do you still hope to live after this?”
Cho and Ryeon’s pupils shook.
“Yeah. Seems like they’ll live well.”
Cale answered while swallowing his salad.
Sitting in the wheelchair, he calmly accepted Ron wiping around his mouth as though it were natural.
“......”
At the third Emperor’s dumbfounded stare, Cale tossed out a remark.
“Do you think looking at me like that will let you live?”
“...What?”
Cale pointed at Cho and Ryeon.
“This isn’t the time to worry about their lives. Worry about your own death.”
“Ha!”
The third Emperor could not contain his disbelief.
“Why? Do you have something to say?”
But despite Cale’s sarcasm, he had nothing to say. His current state truly was one where it would not be strange if he died at any moment.
“This... this bastard dares—”
Cale tossed out a remark toward the third Emperor, Dragon King, who could only tremble.
“So how are you planning to kill a god?”
“......”
“......”
“Mm!”
The third Emperor and Ryeon did not react.
Cale’s gaze shifted to Cho.
The only one who had reacted.
“Oh.”
After giving him a broad grin once, Cale looked past the flustered Cho and Ryeon toward the third Emperor and asked,
“You found a way to kill your god, didn’t you?”
He could not contact the God of Death.
That bastard was truly annoying, but that bastard had to be holding out right now for the divine realm to have a high chance of flowing toward the ending Cale wanted.
A future where Cale and the people around him were not tormented.
Only the God of Death could create that future.
“......”
The third Emperor said nothing, but Cale calmly continued.
“The God of Justice commissioned your first Emperor, the first Wanderer, didn’t he? He told him to find a way to kill a god.”
“......!”
The third Emperor’s pupils shook.
It seemed he had not known that Cale had figured out that much.
“And the first Emperor must have intended to grasp both the method to become a Transcendent and the method to kill a god, then place everything beneath his feet.”
“!”
The third Emperor tried to open his mouth to say something, but Cale was faster.
“Now then, Demon King.”
His gaze turned outside the prison.
At some point, the Demon King had arrived here with the strategist.
Unlike the strategist, whose pupils were shaking at this tremendous conversation, the Demon King looked indifferent. No, he looked bored.
“Looks like talk like this isn’t fun to you?”
Cale drew a smile for him.
Because Cale held a story that would move this bastard.
“Before I fainted.”
Cale recalled the sight from two weeks ago.
“The power that flowed out of the ancient site of the demon god spoke to me.”
“......”
The Demon King’s expression changed.
It was extremely slight, but what seeped into it was a complex emotion. Interest, or anger. Cale ignored it and continued speaking.
He recited what the gray light that had flowed from the ancient site had said.
—Demon god? There is no such thing.
“Demon god? There is no such thing.”
The few demons present reacted to those words.
“!”
“What kind of—!”
The strategist and the commander of the royal guard. Those two demons could not believe it.
But Cale looked only at the Demon King as he continued.
—I cannot accept the divine realm and the heavenly realm calling me a demon god......!
“I cannot accept the divine realm and the heavenly realm calling me a demon god.”
The Demon King’s eyes seemed still.
But those eyes resembled the sea.
They were flowing and roiling without end.
At least, they were now.
“......”
“......”
As the demons held their breath—
Cale continued.
There was no demon god.
Only—
—There exists only one who kills arrogant gods.
“There exists only one who kills arrogant gods.”
The Demon King’s eyes widened.
“!”
“......!”
A storm rose in the demons’ eyes as well.
A fragment of truth that the demons did not know, one that had been distorted until now.
The moment that truth was finally delivered to them—
“And that voice said this to me.”
Everyone recalled the gray light that had been delivered to Cale.
The power that the ancient site of the demon god had reacted to Cale alone and handed to him.
The words the voice that gave him that power had said to Cale.
Even the third Emperor waited for what Cale would say next.
—...Found you.......
“Found you.”
That power had said—
—...One who possesses... the talent to kill gods.......
“One who possesses the talent to kill gods.”
For a moment, the Demon King could not react to Cale’s words.
Because they were words he had not expected.
The talent to kill gods.
A talent for killing gods.
The one who reacted to those words was not the Demon King, nor a demon.
“That’s impossible—!”
Cale turned his head with a broad smile.
There stood the third Emperor, who had unknowingly spoken just now, his face full of disbelief.
At that moment, Ryeon spoke in a calm voice.
Of course, that voice was trembling faintly.
“There is a saying in the heavenly realm.”
“No!”
The third Emperor screamed at Ryeon.
But Ryeon looked at Cale and continued.
“Nothing is eternal.”
“Stop! Stop it!”
“All living beings have natural enemies. Gods are the same.”
“Stop, Ryeon!”
Ryeon did not stop.
“The principle created the world and created gods, and it scattered seeds throughout the world to kill gods. It has no form, and it is a law created by the principle. When the arrogance of a god crosses the line, that law will inevitably activate.”
A law that killed gods.
“Thus, it is called the law of the hunt.”
