Chapter 679: A hunt in the middle of the night (2)

Click.

Violan put down her teacup as she spoke.

Oooooo– oooooo–

The area was still shaking slightly from the vibrations of the magic circle, but Violan seemed calm.

"Between 7pm to 9pm last night… Nobody saw Vice Captain Hilsman for two hours."

Hilsman looked extremely anxious, as if he didn't know what to do.

"What is going on right now?! I was just having a late dinner, madam! I was at my place! You know that I live alone, madam!"

She quietly observed the anxious looking Vice Captain Hilsman.

Violan started to smile.

"I really must seem like a fool to you."

Inside this area that was surrounded by a circle…

Although the people inside couldn't tell what kind of spell was in it, the roaring mana made it possible to tell that it was extremely strong.

"At seven in the evening yesterday… Sir Hilsman left, saying that he would go home for a bit. And… At exactly 9 pm… You walked into the Lord's Castle."

"I am that Hilsman!"

He sounded as if he truly felt wronged. He also sounded as if he had no idea as to what was going on. His expression seemed real.

"Madam, you are suspecting me because nobody saw me for two hours?! How can you be so sure? Seeing me going into the house or lighting a fire to cook… I'm sure that someone must have seen me. How can you be so sure that nobody saw me during that time? This is not like your usual rational self, Violan-nim."

"Then let me ask you a question."

Violan picked up her teacup as she asked.

"Sir Hilsman. What did I promise to do for you if you became Captain? Do you remember our deal?"

Her eyes were slowly starting to glow blue.

"You better remember it. Otherwise, you will be suppressed by mana until you explode to death."

All emotion disappeared from Hilsman's face.

"Haaaa."

He let out a short sigh. He then shook his head side to side.

His body leaned back into the chair as if he was slumping over.

Finally, he looked toward Duchess Violan.

"There is nothing."

"…What?"

The Duchess's pupils started shaking.

On the other hand, Hilsman's eyes were very still.

"There was no deal whatsoever."

His voice was full of confidence, as if he was telling the truth.

"Madam, someone like you, who cares so much about the Henituse territory and the family, someone who values elegance so much, making a deal with me?"

He shook his head as if it made no sense.

"The Duchess, no, the Deputy Territory Lord would never make a deal with someone over something like the territory's Knight Captain position. It's not like you wish for young master Basen or young lady Lily to become the territory lord. You wish for the Henituse territory's administration and troops to be maintained in a clean manner more than anybody else."

Violan's mouth opened.

"Yes…I do wish for that."

Hilsman did not say anything else.

He just shook his head, as if he found all of this to be unbelievable.

"However, Sir Hilsman did make a deal with me."

'Mm!'

Hilsman eyes opened wide.

"Violan-nim! I am not greedy for power! Why do you keep testing me-"

"If I, Hilsman, rise up to the Captain position, if I become skilled enough to reach that level, please give me the opportunity to choose my own liege."

Violan's stoic voiced echoed through the room.

"I wish to follow young master Cale Henituse."

She recalled the conversation she had with Vice Captain Hilsman about one and a half years ago.

He had spent a few months after coming back from Harris Village with Cale to swing his sword day and night. After that, he came to look for Deruth and Violan saying that the Knight Captain would not give him permission.

'If young master Cale becomes the territory lord, I wish to wholeheartedly serve him as my liege as the Knight Captain. Of course, I will give my everything to serve the territory even if someone else became the territory lord, but I wish to serve a different liege in my heart in that case.'

She didn't remember everything about it, but she remembered some parts very clearly as it had been quite a unique situation.

"It was very odd for someone like Vice Captain Hilsman who likes status so much."

The Hilsman she knew would never say something like that.

"But he proved it."

Hilsman had changed after that.

"He played his part as a valiant knight of the Henituse territory, doing more than any other knights in many battles."

The numerous battles that had taken place in the Henituse territory… Cale and his friends had played the major roles, but many others had fought as well.

"He then said that he wishes to give his life not for Cale, but for the entire Henituse territory."

Duke Deruth, who had heard that with her, had told Hilsman that he had become a true knight.

"Sir Hilsman said that this territory and the people who live here… Everybody was important. He said that he finally understood his mission and to please come look for him if we need a sword or a shield for anything."

Click.

Violan lowered her teacup.

"That was why I selected Sir Hilsman to be the one by my side as we headed over."

She could not get rid of it no matter how much tea she drank.

She could not calm her anger at all.

"You are pretending to be the person who is the sword and shield of our Henituse family. I cannot forgive that."

Cale was called Young Master Silver Shield, but there were many people in the world who wished to be the sword and shield.

It was the responsibility of the Henituse family to protect such knights of the Henituse territory.

"Where is Sir Hilsman?"

"What do you mean? I am right here. I truly-"

Baaaaang!

The table shook at that moment.

Vice Captain Hilsman's hand stretched forward. His body was quickly lunging toward Duchess Violan.

His hand that seemed as vicious as an eagle's claw was headed for Violan's neck.

Baaaaang!

There was another loud explosion.

But Duchess Violan did not even bat an eye. She leisurely raised her hand. She then slowly caressed the thing her hand touched.

The scales that should be cold oddly felt soft and fluffy.

"Thank you very much."

"Not at all, our human's mommy! This much is easy for me!"

The black Dragon revealed itself. Raon was smiling brightly, as if he was enjoying Violan caressing his back.

They heard a relaxed voice at that moment.

"How disappointing."

Violan's gaze turned sharp again.

"Raon-nim. Please take care of this guy."

Ooooo–

Raon's mana roared with the magic circle before it flailed around, as if to pressure Hilsman. Violan felt suffocated, despite being inside Raon's barrier.

The Dragon spoke with an innocent smile on his face.

"Yeah! I will catch him! Hey, who are you?!"

"Haaaaa."

A sigh echoed inside the room.

Hilsman plopped down on his seat.

"Sir Hilsman is alive."

"What?"

He shook his head side to side with a dejected smile on his face.

"You'll find him asleep in the basement of his house if you head there. He seemed quiet devoted to the Henituse household, so I knocked him unconscious with as little damage as possible. Why would I harm someone like Sir Hilsman?"

"…Who are you?"

"Duchess Violan."

Although this guy was disguised as Hilsman and had a faint smile on his face, he gave off a completely different demeanor from Hilsman.

Duchess Violan could feel years of experience coming from the way this guy was acting. He also showed no hostility.

"Hmm. That punk Deruth seems to have a lot of luck with his spouses."

"What are you saying…"

"Who knows? Hmm. I feel like someone must be watching all of this. Is Cale Henituse watching this?"

The man disguised as Hilsman turned toward Raon.

He quietly looked at the video communication device dangling on Raon's neck.

Smirk. Raon felt that the smirk on this Hilsman's face was oddly not unfamiliar.

"Duchess Violan. Oh and the baby Dragon-nim as well. I was really just planning on quietly observing before leaving. I thought I should see the birth of a new legend. But how disappointing."

He shrugged his shoulders.

"I'm a person who cannot be revealed. I guess it is time for me to go."

"Who said you can go?! The human told me to capture you!"

He quietly observed the video communication device even after hearing Raon's comment. He didn't seem to care that he couldn't see the person on the other side of the screen.

A voice flowed out of the black video communication device.

– What the hell are you?

"My, my."

He shook his head side to side again.

"Cale Henituse, you cannot speak to me that way. Well, I guess it can't be helped?"

Cale, who was on the other side of the video communication device, had the following thought.

'Who the hell is this crazy bastard?'

Nobody knew that Violan had the same expression on her face right now. She couldn't help it.

She couldn't believe it.

Escape?

Something like that was impossible for this bastard.

"But you see…"

The man disguised as Hilsman opened his mouth again.

"Why is a damn rat here?"

His gaze turned toward Violan.

His mouth was curled up in a smile but his gaze was cold.

"Where the hell is that bastard, Deruth?"

Cale and Violan both jumped out of their seats as soon as he said that.

Cale recalled a moment with Duke Deruth.

"I knew something was weird...!"

Duke Deruth had said the following to Alberu when Alberu told him about how he was going to pretend to be dead.

'I do not like meaningless sacrifices.'

'I do not like meaningful sacrifices that much either.'

'Your highness, if both you and Cale will take what I just said to heart… I will give this a go.'

But during the meeting today… Duke Deruth had said the following.

'…A meaningful sacrifice is worth doing for the sake of the future, but… We don't really have an answer for it yet.'

Cale had told Choi Han and Raon after that.

'Why is he lying?'

He was talking about Hilsman. But he was also talking about his father, Duke Deruth.

"…In that short period of time...!"

Cale started to frown.

* * *

"Your highness! Are you okay?"

Saint Jack urgently rushed over to Alberu.

"I, I am okay."

Alberu barely managed to reach out his hand. Dragon Mila stood in between the Saint and Alberu and made Jack and Hannah stop for a moment.

Hannah asked at that moment.

"Where is Cale Henituse?"

Saint Jack's gaze changed at that moment. His eyes clouded over. Alberu noticed that change.

"Where is he? I believe that you would know, your highness."

"Hannah."

The Saint stopped his rash younger sister. He peeked toward the Dragon before inspecting Alberu's complexion. He looked extremely concerned.

"…Why are you looking for Cale?"

Saint Jack flinched and then smiled with embarrassment after Alberu, who seemed a bit settled after having coughed up some blood, barely managed to get those words out.

"Something wonderful happened to us. I believe Hannah wishes to share the good news with young master Cale."

Saint Jack held Hannah's hand.

"Ah, come on."

Hannah frowned but tightly held the Saint's hand as well.

The Saint smiled brightly and looked at Alberu.

"The Sun God has made it possible for me to control my power of purification now. I am able to hold my sister's hand like this now. She has also taught me the true power of healing."

"True power of healing?"

"Yes, your highness."

Saint Jack gently smiled toward Alberu.

"Meant to be. She told me to help the existence that is meant to be."

A smile that was warmer than usual was headed toward Alberu.

"Every existence under the sun… All existences in this world are meant to be, so the Sun God has given me the power to warmly embrace all those who live their lives properly in this world. I guess Hannah wanted to quickly share this news with young master Cale as well. She was looking for the young master so much."

'What?'

As Alberu's eyes opened wide…

Buuuuuuuuuuuu- buuuuuuuuuuu-

The sound of a horn flute echoed throughout Puzzle City and the nearby area.

Flap.

The Knight Captain was headed out with the Roan Kingdom's knights and soldiers outside the window. The reinforcements from the Whipper Kingdom and the Jungle were behind them.

That blare from the horn flute…

That was the highest level alarm that announced the start of a war.

Alberu's mouth opened.

"Choi Han!"

Something popped into his mind.

It was something that one of the people who came in here had said.

'My chat with the Knight Captain ended up going longer than expected because it is quite chaotic with so many people here.'

Alberu looked toward the door.

The person standing in front of the door…

The one who had said that just now…

"Capture Deruth Henituse!"

Bang!

A corner of the ceiling blasted open as Choi Han revealed himself.

His sword headed toward Deruth Henituse.

***

Hello everyone.

It is your author, Yu Ryeo Han, who is experiencing the magical phenomenon of her writing getting longer and longer. ^-^

It has now been three years since I released the first chapter.

That is why I am here to say hello and leave a small note.

I have been thoroughly reading through the early chapters these days.

Every time I do that, it reminds me of the time I spent with this story and the emotions that accompanied me through them.

It always makes me want to thank the readers who have been with < I became the Trash of the Count’s Family >.

Thank you very much!

Mm. To be honest with you, I am very happy today as I celebrate three years of writing this series! Hahahaha!

I am so excited that I decided to set today as a day to eat a lot of meat. (Although my problem is that I eat a lot even without setting a day to eat a lot. Heh…hehe…vegetables…rice…I eat a lot of everything. E.V.E.R.Y.T.H.I.N.G…. ^-^)

I truly hope that today is a great and peaceful day for everybody reading this chapter.

See you again after chapter 700.

– Sincerely, Yu Ryeo Han

+ P.S. A paperback is in the works. It should be available by the end of the year.

***

If you find any errors or have suggestions, please feel free to provide feedback.

Thank you for reading!

[Author – Yu Ryeo Han]

[Translator – Anowa]

[Proofreader – Rai_Mayank]