Trash of the Count's Family (Web Novel)
Trash of the Count's Family (Web Novel) - Chapter ss31: Side Story 3-1: Don’t mess with

TCF S3-1

<Side Story 3 Don’t mess with the crown prince 1>

It was before the Northern Indomitable Alliance declared war on the south.

It was a time when the thought of war was not in the minds of the majority of the Roan Kingdom's citizens.

Crown prince Alberu Crossman.

His attendant wet his lips with his tongue without making it visible.

The inside of his mouth was completely dry.

Peek.

The record keeper's eyes moved.

‘...Shit.’

Crown prince Alberu was leisurely walking with an extremely radiant smile on his face.

‘We can't mess with him.’

This was a time when they could not mess with crown prince Alberu Crossman.

‘But this is a big incident.’

The lowest ranking record keeper recalled what Alberu had just said to the King and a few administrators.

‘The Paerun Kingdom's forces have moved to Norland and Askosan.’

It meant that the day was near when the alliance of the three Northern Kingdoms would invade.

‘A real war.’

The crown prince needed a record keeper by his side as he was taking care of a lot of business in place of the king. The record keeper was especially necessary when he went into meetings.

He was one of the record keepers assigned to the Crown prince Palace to be by Alberu's side.

‘And it’s not far off!’

Unlike the shocked record keeper, the crown prince had thrown another bomb in front of the chief executives just now.

‘The military command of the northeast region will go the Cale Henituse of the Count’s House of Henituse. He will be the northeast region Military Commander.’

It was not a question about whether it was okay to give Cale Henituse the position of northeast region Military Commander.

It was a statement.

"What are you doing?”

He heard a warm voice.

The lowest ranking record keeper urgently raised his head. The crown prince, who had stopped walking, was quietly looking at him and smiling.

Crown prince Alberu was quite nice to the people working in the palace.

He didn't work them excessively nor did he want them by his side at all times.

Furthermore, he praised them for the smallest of things and rarely punished them. He even gave a lot of presents to the people in his palace.

The crown prince quietly commented with a radiant smile on his face.

“It’s bad if your mind is in chaos.”

The crown prince, at some point, had started bringing him, the lowest ranking record keeper, whenever he needed something recorded.

The record keeper heard his gentle voice.

“Open your ears, move your hands, and keep your mouth shut. You know what to do, right?”

The record keeper tilted his head.

“What are you saying, your highness? I'm not sure what you are talking about.”

“Yes. This is why I try having you by my side.”

The record keeper slightly lowered his head without saying anything else.

The crown prince did not look at the record keeper any longer and started walking again.

However, he soon stopped walking.

‘Mm!’

The record keeper slightly frowned after noticing the reason.

‘I have a bad feeling about this.’

They had arrived at the front of the crown prince’s palace.

Someone who was part of crown prince Alberu’s faction was waiting for him.

‘Ah, you can't mess with him today!’

Unlike the anxious record keeper, the crown prince started leisurely walking again.

“General Wetton. What brings you here?”

“Your highness.”

General Wetton. The man who was wearing spotless formal attire bowed toward the crown prince.

Everything he did was completely respectful and by the book.

“I have something I must tell you, your highness.”

However, he seemed to almost be glaring at the crown prince when he raised his head.

‘How funny.’

The crown prince held back a laugh and nodded his head with a gentle look on his face.

“I see. Let’s go to my office.”

Alberu leisurely headed toward his office. General Wetton leisurely followed behind him.

‘This guy is so good at putting on a mask.’

However, Alberu knew that General Wetton was feeling quite anxious right now.

“Your highness.”

He raised his hand toward the attendant who was walking toward him instead of waiting in front of his office.

“I will be chatting with General Wetton so don’t let anybody in.”

“I understand, your highness.”

Alberu slightly nodded his head at the disguised Dark Elf attendant and entered his office.

General Wetton quietly followed behind him.

Click.

The door closed.

Alberu and General Wetton were the only ones in the room.

“Your highness.”

General Wetton was the first to speak.

Alberu sat down on the couch and looked up at General Wetton.

“Yes, you may speak.”

“I heard something weird from Teus just now, your highness.”

Teus.

He was basically Alberu’s hands and feet. He was the person in charge of delivering important messages to the nobles and administrators who follow Alberu.

“Your highness, Teus stated that you were going to give the military command of the northeast region to young master Cale Henituse and give him the position of the Military Commander of the northeast region.”

General Wetton could not sit still after hearing that.

“Is that the truth, your highness?”

“Mm.”

Alberu rubbed his chin with his hand. He looked into General Wetton's glaring gaze and gently responded.

“Yes, it is true.”

“Your highness!”

General Wetton raised his voice before lowering his voice after seeing how Alberu was looking up at him with a gentle expression.

“...It does not make sense, your highness.”

"What doesn’t?”

‘All of it!’

General Wetton wanted to say that all of it did not make sense.

‘He wants to give the position of Military Commander of the northeast region of all positions to that young punk?’

He could not accept it.

‘Even though I am from the northeast region?

He wants to give that position to Cale Henituse when I am here?

To that little punk?’

“I know that you treasure young master Cale Henituse quite a bit, your highness.”

He had even included Cale in the envoy to the Empire.

However, this was not right.

“Young master Cale is someone with a bright future. He has a big heart and will probably become a light to brighten the future of the kingdom. However.”

General Wetton looked right at Alberu as he continued.

“He is still lacking. He is someone who has no experience when it comes to troops. Even if your highness thinks highly of him, that position should be determined by ability.”

Although he was packaging it nicely, he was basically saying that you can’t give a punk like that such an important position just because you cherish him. He was saying don’t let your emotions determine personnel matters.

‘It’s okay to say these things to the crown prince.’

The crown prince Alberu that General Wetton knew was someone who liked people who called him out when he did something wrong.

Anybody who participated in meetings with the crown prince would have seen even more straightforward statements causing fierce battles.

“I pray that you reconsider your decision, your highness.”

“Then General.”

“Yes, your highness.”

General Wetton could see Alberu smiling.

Alberu seemed to have such great smiles for him quite often. That fact put some strength into Wetton’s shoulders.

“Then who do you think is appropriate to hold that position instead of Cale Henituse?”

‘Is he really asking me that question?’

Wetton held back the things he really wanted to say and said something else.

“Your highness. I am from the northeast region as well.”

He then spoke honestly.

The crown prince liked people who were honest about their abilities and appealed to him via merit.

"Furthermore, of the Generals from the northeast region, I have the highest rank and have the most experience. In addition, am I not the person you can trust the most, your highness?”

Alberu had that gentle smile on his face as he mumbled.

"The person I can trust the most-”

“Yes, your highness. Would it not be me, who has been by your side since you were young?”

Alberu Crossman had grown up lonely without any maternal relatives.

When he started to make a move to be the crown prince... Basically nobody came under his umbrella.

Most of them lined up to serve the second prince or third prince.

I have served you. I have remained by your side since the beginning.”

There were many Generals who didn't care about politics but also many who were heavily involved. The Generals with interest in politics had been unable to understand General Wetton's decision back then.

However, all of them approved of General Wetton's decision and were envious of him now.

The first prince, who had nothing, had ended up the strongest candidate for the throne.

“Your highness, please consider the time I have devoted to you until now.”

“So, you’re saying...”

Alberu stood up from his seat. He walked over to the standing General Wetton.

“I should put you, who knows the northeast region well, has experience leading soldiers, and has my trust after being by my side for a long time in that position?”

“Yes, your highness. I will do a good job!”

Wetton’s voice was energetic.

On the other hand, Alberu’s voice was slowly getting quieter.

“General Wetton, do you think that you are qualified to say such things?”

‘Qualified?

Of course I'm qualified!’

Wetton answered the crown prince’s obvious question without any hesitation. In fact, he was about to get upset at the fact that the crown prince was asking such a question.

“Yes, your highness! I believe that I am the most qualified.”

It was at that moment.

“Hahaha-”

The crown prince laughed out loud.

“How entertaining.”

He nodded his head a few times without being able to hide his laughter.

“Very entertaining.”

General Wetton almost frowned in response. However, he kept a straight face after seeing Alberu open his mouth again.

“General Wetton.”

His gentle voice filled the office.

“You were one of the first Generals to support me when I decided to step into politics. No, you were the only General at the time to do so.”

“That’s right, your highness. I trusted my discerning eye and-”

“No.”

Alberu shook his head.

“That’s not it.”

He spoke with a warm expression still on his face.

“Didn’t you come to me after being urged to do so by the third prince’s side?”

“...Excuse me?”

Alberu stood in front of General Wetton. He was still smiling.

“Did you really think that I wouldn’t know anything?”

Alberu's hand headed toward General Wetton's shoulder.

Pat. Pat. Alberu brushed General Wetton's shoulder as if there was dust on it.

“You seem to think that I wouldn't know how much dust you were carrying with you.”

Alberu's gaze focused on Wetton.

Wetton could see the cold gaze covered by Alberu’s smiling face.

“I know it all.”

The quiet voice that was almost a whisper rang like thunder in Wetton’s ear.

‘He knew about it? All of it?’

Wetton got chills on his back.

‘He know that I, that I approached him after being urged to do so by the third prince’s side?

Since when?’

Wetton's pupils were shaking. He heard a response at that moment that made it seem as if Alberu was reading his mind.

“From the beginning.”

The crown prince was smiling as if he found this extremely entertaining.

“Did you think that I stepped into politics without knowing anything from the beginning? Would the first prince, who had nothing but this façade, really do that?”

General Wetton found the crown prince's hand that was on his shoulder to be extremely heavy.

“If I have no maternal relatives, I at least needed information. Hmm? Don’t you think so?”

The crown prince was smiling.

Wetton was getting cold sweats every time he looked at that smile.

Alberu didn’t care and calmly continued to speak.

“More importantly... Who are you saying doesn't look at ability?”

The voice that sounded exaggerated sounded mischievous as well.

However, what Alberu said next made Wetton flinch.

“I would have put you in that position even if you were someone on the third prince’s side if you had the abilities to do it well.”

A bit of anger appeared on Wetton's face.

‘I am not as good as young master Cale Henituse?’

How long had he been working as a General?!

The little punk with that childish moniker of Young Master Silver Shield and he had quite the difference in rank. ‘But I am lacking in abilities?

That makes no sense.’

He would prefer that the crown prince said that he was not being considered for such an important position because he was on the third prince’s side.

Wetton could not accept the crown prince's words at all.

The crown prince then said the following.

“Wyvern Knights Brigade.”

‘Hmm?’

General Wetton looked confused.

“Do you think that you can take on a Wyvern Knights Brigade?”

The innocent-looking man calmly commented.

“Slowly. It will be best to approach her slowly. Her wariness will only increase if you rush it.”

Cale’s dark brown eyes looked into the man’s black eyes.

The man smiled weakly at his gaze and continued speaking.

“Also, her dream seemed to be becoming an ability user. Kim Rok Soo, the guy whose body you are in right now, is someone with quite the abilities.”

“I’m aware of that.”

“Really? You’re already finished analyzing the condition of that body?”

“No. I know what powers he possesses despite not finishing the analysis.”

“I guess Kim Rok Soo’s powers are not something you can figure out at once. That punk has multiple abilities.”

The man was about to say something but closed his mouth for a moment.

He then eventually resumed speaking. His voice was even calmer as if the emotions had disappeared.

“Anyway, Kim Rok Soo’s abilities should be able to help her a lot since that child wants to become an ability user.”

“I see.”

Cale nodded his head and asked the man in front of him a question.

“But why are you being so nice to tell me all of these things? You could have just told me where she was and left.”

He asked the silent man a question.

“Did you know this Kim Rok Soo person?”

“…I.”

The man who looked much younger than Kim Rok Soo, who was currently in his mid-thirties, continued with a calm look on his face.

“I am temporarily in charge of you.”

“…Does that mean that you will be the one to show up if I run into any problems or there are messages to be delivered to me?”

“Something like that.”

Cale nodded his head and nonchalantly asked.

“What is your name?”

“…Why do you care about my name?”

“You know my name and the truth about who I am. I should at least know who you are. It’s obvious you know this Kim Rok Soo guy.”

Cale, who was asking the question while standing crooked, did not hide his wariness while in Kim Rok Soo’s body.

“Haaa.” The man let out a short sigh before responding.

“Choi Jung Soo. My name is Choi Jung Soo.”

He lowered his hat again.

He spoke to his friend who was now in his mid-thirties, no, the random person who was now in his friend’s body.

“It is the name of someone who has already died here.”

Cale’s pupils shook slightly. Choi Jung Soo pretended not to notice as he continued speaking.

“Furthermore, I am the dead friend of Kim Rok Soo, the guy whose body you are in.”

They were both silent for a moment.

Cale pointed to his body and asked.

“…Is this guy living well?”

Choi Jung Soo shook his head.

“Even I don’t know yet.”

“Mm.”

Cale groaned before nonchalantly commenting.

“I think that I will live well.”

He smiled at Choi Jung Soo, who was looking at him. He clenched the paper in his hand.

“I think that I will live very well in this body. I have a hunch that that will be the case.”

The corners of Choi Jung Soo’s lips curled up.

“That’s a response I like.”

“Right?”

Cale put the piece of paper in his pocket as he spoke.

“Anyway, I think I’m going to make a move right away.”

“Okay. Go ahead.”

“See you again next time.”

KRS Cale quickly exited the alley. (TL: She keeps writing Cale Henituse in Kim Rok Soo’s appearance. It’s repetitive and annoying so KRS Cale it is).

The elegance was gone and he looked a bit excited and anxious.

Choi Jung Soo watched him for a moment before quietly mumbling.

“…It’ll be better if you don’t see me.”

A black shadow started to cover Choi Jung Soo in the alley.

Chhhhhhhhh. A half-transparent parchment opened in front of Choi Jung Soo.

Choi Jung Soo read what was written on it before disappearing into the shadows.

“There’s so much to do.”

Shhhh—

A breeze brushed past the alley.

There was nobody there.

* * *

Slam!

The office door slammed over.

“Assistant Leader Kim Min Ah.”

“Yes, team leader-nim.”

Kim Min Ah’s eyes opened wide while looking at the anxious Kim Rok Soo walking toward her.

Kim Rok Soo gave a single comment to the confused woman.

“I’m leaving early today.”

“Excuse me?”

Kim Min Ah looked at him in shock but Kim Min Ah grabbed his coat and quickly got ready to leave.

“Leaving early all of a sudden?”

“Yes.”

The company was currently rowdy talking about how Kim Rok Soo mentioned quitting or flipping things over in front of Director Ma. However, the person who said those things didn’t seem to care about that at all.

“I already did all of my work for the day. Did you know that?”

Kim Rok Soo asked Agent Jung So Hoon once they made eye contact and Jung So Hoon evaded his gaze as he responded.

“You did do everything, team leader-nim. But to suddenly leave early like this-”

“Haaaa.”

KRS Cale let out a short sigh.

He wanted to get to where his mother was as quickly as possible.

“The team leader position has so many uncomfortable things. Should I just become the CEO to do as I please?”

This Cale Henituse had lived as a noble and had even battled in the War of the Western continent and gone up against the White Star. Based on what he had observed, the person in this body, Kim Rok Soo, could easily take the CEO position if he wanted to do so.

Cale Henituse, no, team leader Kim Rok Soo, headed toward the door as if he had not said anything while all of Team 1 was looking at him in shock.

“Ah.”

He stopped for a moment and patted the newbie Jang Sejong’s shoulder before walking past him.

“I put in an order with the side dish store so make sure to take it.”

“Ah.”

Jang Sejong blankly watched Kim Rok Soo’s sudden action before realizing something after hearing those words.

‘He’s the same.’

Although his actions and tone had changed, the things about him that made Jang Sejong listen to the team leader whom he had only known for two weeks had not changed.

He was stoic but cared about the people around him and worried about his team members. That had not changed.

“Are you going somewhere, team leader-nim?”

Jung So Hoon snapped out of him and asked Kim Rok Soo, who stopped moving for a moment.

Then an odd smile appeared on his face.

Excitement, joy, some concern, and tension were visible in that smile.

He spoke in a calm yet slightly shaking voice.

“I may end up getting a new family.”

Kim Rok Soo then walked out of the office.

Silence filled the office.

“…Ha!”

Agent Jung So Hoon looked at the air and laughed.

Jang Sejong suddenly felt the mood in the office get brighter.

“Now I won’t need to worry about him dying!”

His seniors showed their agreement at Agent Cha’s comments and smiles appeared on their faces.

* * *

Now back to the present… Jang Sejong, who was walking with a pile of documents, watched as Team 1’s office door burst open.

“That trash-like bastard!”

“Haaaaa.”

Director Ma and General Manager Kim came out of the office angry or sighing.

“H, hello sirs.”

Jang Sejong looked extremely scared as he greeted the two of them but they just walked past while ignoring him. The employees from the secretary’s office greeted him with their eyes as they followed behind the two men.

‘Mm.’

Jang Sejong, who had a pretty good idea as to what might have happened, walked through the open office door.

Team leader Kim Rok Soo was seated at a table he presumed a meeting must have been taking place until just now and waving at him.

He looked extremely relaxed and free while sitting crooked on the chair.

Of course, the hand that was holding the cup of green tea was extremely elegant.

“How about ramen for lunch today?”

“…Team leader-nim. Did you argue with them again?”

“What? I didn’t say anything. All I said was that I wanted to quit.”

Kim Rok Soo shrugged his shoulders as if he had no idea.

Cold-blooded Kim Rok Soo was starting to get a new nickname.

‘I want to quit’ Kim Rok Soo.

That was his new nickname.

If Director Ma, the guilds, or foreign organizations tried to pull any kind of funny business, he would talk about quitting and put the whole company in uproar.

His superiors were saying that he was arrogant and unprincipled, and they were even cursing him out and calling him trash.

“…Hmm. What should I buy? Hey newbie, do you know what kind of books kids read these days?”

“I’m not sure, team leader-nim.”

Jang Sejong thought that Kim Rok Soo seemed the same as usual.

Of course, his posture and the atmosphere around him did change, but…

“Team leader-nim, is it really okay to keep angering Director Ma like this?”

Kim Rok Soo slowly responded to Agent Cha’s question.

“We should get rid of people who don’t take care of their responsibilities properly.”

The atmosphere around him was sharp as if he had not been lazing around. They could feel the sharpness and years of experience of a person who had been through numerous life or death situations.

Of course, these were not based on Kim Rok Soo’s experiences. Cale Henituse, who was currently using this body, had also been through many battles and wars, giving him a sharp aura.

The two of their auras were similar.

Maybe this was an aura only those who had lost loved ones and continued to fight could have.

Kim Rok Soo was different but still their same team leader to the team members who had no way of knowing about that.

“Haaaaaaaaa. I want to drink. Should I ditch work?”

Other than when he acted like this that is.

* * *

“Mm.”

KRS Cale opened his eyes.

“How amazing.”

He looked around.

He could see the office where he had been working late until just now.

‘…When did I fall asleep?’

He had fallen asleep without realizing it and had met the ‘real Kim Rok Soo’ in his dream. That person was the true owner of this body and the person who was in Cale Henituse’s body in another world.

It was quite unconventional to meet him.

“Hmm.”

He turned his head.

It was dark outside as it was night time.

He could see his reflection on the window.

“Yeah.”

‘I’m Kim Rok Soo now.’

He decided not to think of himself as Cale Henituse anymore.

He was now Kim Rok Soo.

He recalled the words he had said to the other world’s Cale Henituse.

‘I plan on living the rest of my life in this body. That’s why I plan on throwing away the name of Cale Henituse and living as Kim Rok Soo.’

‘I’m going to make sure to save this world I’m living in right now. I’ll make it so that the people around me can live in peace.’

Ding-!

Kim Rok Soo unlocked his phone after hearing it go off.

< Uncle, when are you coming tomorrow? >

A smile appeared on Kim Rok Soo’s face after checking the text message.

Tomorrow was when he was going to the orphanage to see his reincarnated mother, no, his niece. The child who had been full of wariness and fear was now listening to him and calling him uncle.

He was planning on going through the procedures to truly become family with this niece in the near future. Even without thinking about the fact that this girl was his reincarnated mother, she was a precious member of his family now.

He looked at the text and opened his mouth.

“Choi Jung Soo.”

“What is it?”

Choi Jung Soo, who was still wearing the black hat and black leather jacket, was standing in a corner of the office looking at Kim Rok Soo.

Choi Jung Soo had entered without making any noise but Kim Rok Soo did not find this to be odd. Choi Jung Soo always appeared out of nowhere.

“Do you have no thoughts about going to see Cale Henituse?”

“…….”

A relaxed smile appeared on Kim Rok Soo’s face.

“You should live a more peaceful life too.”

“I don’t think you should be saying that while working late.”

“I guess that’s true.”

Kim Rok Soo watched as Choi Jung Soo slowly disappeared into the shadow and asked again.

“When are you planning on going to meet him?”

“In the near future.”

A smile slowly appeared on Choi Jung Soo’s face.

“I plan on seeing him in the near future.”

“The way you phrased it sounds a bit odd? Are you saying that you are going to go see him but that he might not know that you are there?”

“Who knows?”

Choi Jung Soo let out a low laugh before disappearing into the shadow.

Kim Rok Soo watched the darkness that remained before picking up his pen again.

He needed to quickly finish this late day of work and prepare to go see his niece tomorrow.

“Busy, busy.”

The smile on Kim Rok Soo’s face did not disappear despite his grumbling.

– Side Story 2. Our team leader-nim became trash! End –

– The next side story is ‘Don’t mess with the crown prince.’ –

Author’s Notes

Hello, it is Yu Ryeo Han.

I hope you have a nice and relaxing Lunar New Year.

I will see you again on February 28th. (TL: Well, it’s long past 2/28 but I thought you’d enjoy seeing the author’s note as she put it)