Trash of the Count's Family

Book 2: Chapter 288: Cale-nim over Dragons (2)

<Cale-nim over Dragons (2)>

Choi Han and Clopeh Sekka…

The two of them stood in the secret training ground deep underneath the church and stared at each other.

“Please use this building as you need as this building is currently not being used.”

Third bishop Hons.

Choi Han and Clopeh turned to look at this Dragon half-blood for a moment.

“Thank you very much, Third bishop-nim.”

Clopeh responded with a gentle smile while Choi Han flinched for a moment and followed Hons who was about to leave.

He then asked, almost in a whisper.

Hons's eyes became a bit wider.

He then smiled.

“Yes sir. There was no affection toward him as a parent. In fact, there was only loathing.”

“…….”

Hons read the concern in the silent Choi Han’s face and added on.

“I thought that I would never be able to get out of his grasp, but the world I wanted has arrived it seems. My mother is my only parent.”

Hons was Ryan’s child.

They were connected by blood, but that was it. Hons had no affection toward Ryan at all.

Choi Han could tell from Hons’s face that he was speaking the truth and silently bowed.

Hons bowed back and left.

Tap, tap.

Hons thought about Choi Han and Clopeh as he climbed the stairs back up.

In his mind, both of them were close confidants of Cale Henituse.

‘A building may break again so please show them to the secret training ground.’

Hons smiled as he left the secret training ground building that, according to the Pope’s orders, had been camouflaged to have been abandoned.

“…One of them looks too honest while the other looks too wicked.”

The years of experience held by someone Hons’s age allowed them to have a sharp eye about people.

The former was naturally talking about Choi Han and the latter, Clopeh.

“Mm.”

However…

"A knight…”

Hons did not finish his sentence.

He walked out of the building and looked back.

The building, which was decorated to look abandoned, was covered in vines and felt gloomy.

What would happen in the basement?

Hons thought that it was a pity that he would not get to see it. He then moved to prepare to head for Axion’s castle tomorrow.

Down in the training ground, Choi Han and Clopeh were staring at each other again. Clopeh was the first to make a move.

Clang.

He pulled out his sword.

Clopeh had a gentle yet odd smile on his face and he seemed quite happy.

Someone might think that he was heading out to have some fun.

Choi Han watched Clopeh but chose not to pull out his sword.

‘As expected.

This guy really makes me feel uncomfortable.’

Clopeh’s face had stiffened when Cale mentioned the wooden sword before he left on the carriage.

The lunacy visible in his eyes made even Choi Han get the chills.

This guy would have been quite unpleasant to be around if he was not one of their allies.

‘Well, he’s still unpleasant to be around.’

Clopeh made him feel uneasy despite being an ally.

Maybe it was because he started out as their enemy.

‘No.’

That was not the reason.

Sword master Hannah. He did not feel so uneasy around her.

Choi Han looked toward Clopeh.

Clopeh still had a smile on his face as he calmly waited for Choi Han to pull out his sword.

Choi Han was planning on fighting this bastard today.

‘I need to check for myself.

Clopeh Sekka is weaker than me.

But he is more talented than I am.’

Choi Han could glimpse the path this bastard was trying to take.

‘Shadow.’

He could tell that this guy was trying to become Cale-nim’s shadow.

But Choi Han did not want this shadow.

“Clopeh Sekka.”

That was why he did not pull out his sword.

“I thought we were going to fight right away. Are we chatting first?”

Clopeh responded in a warm voice but Choi Han coldly continued.

“You are trying to become Cale-nim’s shadow. But this sword that Cale-nim is trying to hand to you is difficult to receive with such an attitude.”

The true sword of the Dragon Lord…

This wooden sword was supposedly for the Guardian Knight Elf.

The sword had rumbled the first time Choi Han grabbed it. It felt as if it was alive.

He could tell that the true power of this wooden sword would be amazing the moment they released it from its seal.

Was it okay to give such a sword to Clopeh?

“Guardian Knight. This sword should be given to someone who can protect Cale-nim.”

And Choi Han-

“I think that a protector cannot and should not become a shadow. In fact, I think they should be fighting in the front.”

Protect.

Choi Han learned the meaning of that word through Cale.

Honestly speaking, Choi Han saw someone else who suited the title of Guardian Knight.

If it was a knight who stood in the vanguard and charged toward the enemies…

‘Lock.’

Although he had considered Lock to be too young until now… Wasn’t that guy better suited for protection?

Even if he was under the protection of the Blue Wolf, Lock still stood firmly in front of the God of Chaos’s grey wall.

Guardian Knight.

He thought that Lock suited that title better than Clopeh.

However, Choi Han was asking this question because Clopeh did fit the criteria for becoming a sword for Cale and only Cale.

“Are you able to protect Cale-nim? Are you able to stand in the vanguard to protect him? Are you able to protect Cale-nim from the front against Dragons, Gods, or any other existence?”

Choi Han waited for Clopeh to answer.

“…….”

Clopeh silently observed Choi Han.

Silence filled the area.

Choi Han patiently waited for him to answer.

This was Clopeh's response.

“Ha!”

Clopeh looked up at the ceiling of the training ground and let out a short sound that was hard to tell whether it was a laugh or a sigh.

Choi Han’s eyebrow slightly rose at this unexpected response.

His eyes then opened wide.

“Ha, hahaha-”

Clopeh started to laugh.

“Hahaha-”

He laughed for a while as if this was truly entertaining.

He finally managed to calm down after a while. Of course, a smile was still present on his face.

Clopeh looked back at Choi Han with that smile still on his face.

“…Do you think this is a joke?”

The moment Choi Han's voice coldly sank…

“Let me ask you a question as well.”

“A question? First answer my que-”

“If.”

Clopeh paid no attention to what Choi Han was saying. He simply said what he wanted to say.

Choi Han flinched after hearing the question.

“If the situation arises where Cale-nim is about to be attacked by an extremely strong enemy… Choi Han, are you able to give your life to save Cale-nim?”

His life.

Despite speaking in a light and gentle tone, Clopeh's eyes were not smiling at all.

Unlike his face that still had that smile…

Choi Han started to answer with a serious look on his face and no hesitation at all.

“Well of cour-”

But Clopeh was not done with the question.

“However, if you save Cale-nim like that, the rest of your friends will die.”

“……!”

Choi Han was unable to answer.

As for Clopeh, he did not stop.

His gentle voice echoed throughout the basement training ground.

“The youngsters, Raon Miru, On, Hong… All of those children will die. Mary, Rosalyn, Tasha, Lock… Everybody around you will die and you will only be able to save Cale-nim. Of course, if you don’t save Cale-nim, you will be able to save everybody else.”

Clopeh looked extremely relaxed.

He asked with a smile on his face.

“What would you do?”

Choi Han could not easily answer.

He felt like he understood Cale to a degree after being by his side until now.

‘If he himself lives while the others die, he would be in so much pain.’

He would not show it, but that sorrow would stab him deep inside. Cale Henituse was the type of person who would carry that scar forever.

Furthermore, Choi Han cared about his new ‘family’ as much as he cared for Cale. Just like Cale was a member of his family now…

Each and every one of them was important to him.

A voice that sounded as sweet as the whisper of a devil reached Choi Han’s ears.

“It's difficult, isn't it?”

He looked at Clopeh again.

Clopeh's eyes showed no hesitation at all.

He was no longer smiling.

Clopeh spoke with a stoic look on his face.

"As for me, I do not care if the rest of you die. I do not care if I die either. I also do not care if my entire family dies.”

Cale’s allies, Clopeh's own family, even Clopeh himself…

It didn’t matter if they all died.

“Of course, I'm sure that Cale-nim will be sad if the people around him died. He is that kind of person. That is the reason he has the qualities to become a great hero.”

Choi Han gulped.

Clopeh Sekka. This bastard knew about Cale-nim as well.

“That is the reason I would never point my sword at Cale-nim’s friends.”

Clopeh was firm about his decision despite knowing Cale’s personality.

"But if it is between you guys and Cale-nim… Or even my own life against Cale-nim’s… If I had to choose one or the other, I would obviously choose Cale-nim.”

Step, step.

Clopeh walked over to Choi Han.

His body was not releasing any sort of aura. He was not at that level yet.

However, Choi Han felt like he could sense Clopeh's presence.

Such a firm resolve showed itself even without needing to be said.

Clopeh stopped two steps in front of Choi Han.

He looked right into Choi Han’s eyes as he spoke.

"But what did you say? Am I able to fight for Cale-nim?”

Clopeh frowned.

“Hahaha-!”

He then started to laugh out loud.

However, that quickly disappeared.

Clopeh took one step closer to Choi Han. He looked directly at Choi Han again as he asked.

“Choi Han. Do you think that you are a knight?”

Knight.

Choi Han could not easily answer for some reason.

It was not easy to give any answer.

Clopeh's eyes resembled a green swamp.

An extremely deep swamp that you would not be able to escape from if you were dragged inside.

That swamp was full of an extremely thick desire.

It seemed to desperately be craving something.

Clopeh spoke in a nonchalant tone.

“I consider myself to be a knight.”

Despite becoming a shadow and acting like an assassin…

Clopeh had not forgotten that his beginning was as a knight.

He had lived his life as a knight.

"Do you know what it means to be a knight?”

Everybody probably had a different meaning about being a knight.

As for Clopeh…

“For me, it means conviction.”

Conviction was what mattered most.

"A knight must never let his conviction waiver.”

A knight who lets his conviction waiver was someone who had lost his purpose.

“And my conviction-”

Choi Han had a feeling about Clopeh's conviction.

Clopeh calmly commented.

“My conviction…

Is Cale-nim.”

Choi Han felt like the strength was leaving his body.

He could not even tell that he was unable to look away from those deep green eyes.

This knight, Clopeh Sekka, continued to speak.

“The path of my liege is my conviction.”

Cale-nim’s path is my conviction and the meaning of my existence as a knight.

Clopeh could say such a thing without any hesitation at all.

It was what made him willing to die for Cale, what made him willing to do anything and everything if it meant saving Cale.

“…….”

Choi Han was silent.

"What's wrong?”

Clopeh smiled again.

“What is it? Do you want to call me a crazy bastard?”

He was well aware of how he would look to others.

Someone who did not know how others would see their true nature and their outer appearance was someone who could not properly deal with politics.

The silent Choi Han opened his mouth.

“…No.”

Clopeh must have not expected this as his eyes slightly opened wider.

He really thought that Choi Han would call him a crazy bastard.

However, Choi Han’s thoughts had changed a bit.

‘Yeah.’

Maybe more than himself or Lock…

‘This bastard.’

This crazy bastard might be the best fit to be Cale-nim’s Guardian Knight.

‘He said that because he knows it would hurt Cale-nim… He would not point his sword at Cale-nim’s people.’

Clopeh was thinking not only about Cale’s life but his feelings as well.

Nonetheless, this crazy bastard had no qualms about saying that he would do anything to save Cale.

‘After fighting against the Dragons, we may end up fighting against gods.’

Fighting against gods…

It was hard to believe that they as humans may end up fighting against gods.

It was almost impossible to fathom. He had no idea how much stronger he had to get.

That is why-

As a result…

Because of that-

‘We need this crazy bastard.’

Cale-nim needed at least one bastard like this.

Clopeh was not someone who would fight in the front for Cale-nim.

However, he was certain that Clopeh would appear anywhere and everywhere to protect Cale-nim.

Choi Han turned away from Clopeh.

There was no need to exchange blows.

He walked toward the door and nonchalantly commented.

“…You can have the wooden sword.”

Creeeeeak.

He opened the door and then looked back at Clopeh.

Choi Han gave one last warning to the bastard staring at him.

“However, a knight who has lost their conviction has no reason to exist. I would take the head of such a knight.”

Choi Han then saw it.

He saw the bright smile slowly forming on Clopeh's face.

Choi Han could finally say the words.

“Crazy bastard.”

Bang!

Choi Han closed the door and left Clopeh's side without any hesitation.

As for Clopeh who was left behind, he covered his face with both hands.

“Pfft.”

His shoulders bobbed up and down.

“Kaha, hahahaha-”

He started to laugh out loud.

He said the things he had not managed to say despite Choi Han having already left.

“Yeah. If I become an obstacle on his path to become a legend, if it really is determined to be the case…”

Clopeh's eyes sparkled with an eccentric light.

“Make sure that you kill me.”

‘Choi Han, if it is your sword, I will happily accept my death.

While I am a knight, Choi Han is a warrior.

He is a warrior who is willing to hunt and kill anything for his master.’

“Crazy bastard.”

‘But I did like how he didn’t pretend to be all innocent this time.’

A bright smile appeared on Clopeh's face.

* * *

– Human, human. Do you think that our pure Choi Han and the crazy Clopeh are doing okay? What if they destroy everything?

Cale got out of the carriage while listening to Raon's words of concern.

“I will escort you, sir.”

Emperor Alt’s trusted subordinate had come to greet Cale.

He respectfully bowed to Cale and led the way.

Cale followed behind and looked past the person's shoulder.

He could see the Emperor’s palace.

Shaaaaaaaaaaa-

A breeze blew past Cale, the invisible Raon, and the escort.

‘…Freedom…chaos! Order… completed!’

‘The Emperor is so terrible!’

‘Traitors must be dealt with!’

The Wind Elementals seemed happy to see Cale as they started rattling on one after the other.

Cale leisurely focused on the information he was being given.

—

Translator's Comments

Say his name and Clopeh appears! I believe in Clopeh~

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