Trash of the Count's Family - Book 2: Chapter 388: The Birth of Evil (5)
<The Birth of Evil (5)>
“…….”
Kang Geun Mok couldn’t even notice the cold sweat dripping down his back.
‘How?’
How were they able to infiltrate this place?
‘It should be impossible with the mana or magical abilities of this world?
No, more importantly, how can it be so quiet?’
Kang Geun Mok’s house was not called a fortress just because of its security magic.
There were special forces dispatched all around to guard his house.
Normally, they did not show themselves.
‘Yeah. Like right now.’
Everything seemed normal like most days when Kang Geun Mok visited his house for short moments. This place was completely quiet.
‘I don’t smell blood either.’
He didn’t smell any blood either.
He also did not feel their presence.
‘That means-’
The person choking him right now… This enemy had overwhelmingly suppressed everything to hide in the house.
‘Is that even possible? This is an area administered by the Transparent Corporation. This is a house the Chairman blessed upon me. How could this place-’
As Kang Geun Mok’s mind was about to get complicated…
“Why are you so stiff?”
He heard a voice again.
This nonchalant and relaxed voice…
He was sure he had never heard this voice before.
It was at that moment.
“How can he not be stiff when you are holding his neck?”
He heard a woman’s voice.
‘More-’
‘There was someone else as well.
But he could not see anything.
Well, it was obvious that a normal human like him would not be able to see clearly in this dark room without any light.
But the more his eyes got adjusted to the darkness-
‘Three people……!’
He could make out faint silhouettes.
He couldn’t see the person holding his neck, but he could make out two people seated on the living room couch.
Kang Geun Mok’s face that resembled a dry old tree became covered in cold sweat.
“Who are you?”
Although he was anxious, the voice that came out of his mouth was calm.
Of course, his eyes had calmed down as well.
“Who knows? Who do you think we are?”
“Did Ahn Roh Man send you?”
“Oh.”
Cale let out a quiet gasp of admiration.
“I guess not anybody can be the Chief of Staff of the first Chairman.”
“You are not from Ahn Roh Man’s side.”
“Didn’t you ask while already knowing the answer?”
“Yes sir. Ahn Roh Man’s side does not have someone at your level.”
“Yeah. If he did, his aide wouldn’t have been caught up in your scheme to be framed for murder.”
Silence filled the area for a moment.
Rosalyn, who was seated on the couch looking toward the entrance, the only source of light, spoke to Alberu with magic.
– This Kang Geun Mok person won’t be easy.
Alberu nodded his head in agreement.
Cale and Kang Geun Mok’s conversation…
A lot of meaningful things had been exchanged in this short conversation already.
– Kang Geun Mok seems quite clever.
Alberu agreed with Rosalyn.
– He seems similar to young master Cale.
But he did not agree with this part.
He shook his head.
‘Cale Henituse.’
This punk is smart, but rather than being clever…
“But Mr. Chief of Staff.”
‘He’s a punk who just does whatever he wants.’
“You also know that Honorary Chairman Han Taek Soo is not human, right?”
‘As I expected. He really is a punk who does whatever he wants.’
It was not easy to defeat such a punk.
“!”
Kang Geun Mok’s eyes opened wide for the first time.
Despite the grip on his neck being lessened, despite that hand letting go of his neck and patting his shoulder, he could not move.
“…Who are you?”
Kang Geun Mok asked about the person’s identity again.
But the emotions within his voice were different from before.
Earlier, he was just scoping out the situation, but this time, he was truly asking.
It was at that moment.
Click.
There was a small sound, and…
Paaaat!
The living room lights turned on.
“!”
Kang Geun Mok could see the person who flipped the light switch.
“Why are you so shocked?”
A neatly dressed man.
Red hair and reddish brown eyes.
The handsome man who looked tired was the one speaking in the same voice as the nonchalant voice he had heard earlier.
‘…He is even younger than I expected.’
He had expected this person to be young based on the voice, but Kang Geun Mok, who was now in his late sixties, could see that his opponent was extremely young, likely in his early to mid twenties.
Smile.
Cale warmly smiled.
“I prefer to be face to face when I chat. Don’t you agree?”
Gulp.
Kang Geun Mok gulped.
Be face to face.
This should mean just one thing.
‘…If a conversation doesn’t get him what he wants, he is going to get rid of me.’
The enemy who had stealthily infiltrated his house was showing his face.
Basically, it meant that Kang Geun Mok’s actions today could lead to his death.
“…That sounds great. Let’s have a conversation.”
But Kang Geun Mok was not scared.
– How marvelous. He is the enemy, but…
Cale heard Rosalyn speak to him with magic.
– He is quite centered, probably because he has been serving the patriarch of the Transparent Bloods for about fifty years. He also seems quite loyal. We should be able to trust him and leave him to take care of things if we are able to turn him into our ally.
Cale didn’t show any reactions to her comments and asked Kang Geun Mok.
“Where should we sit?”
“…Follow me.”
Kang Geun Mok slowly started walking.
He then sat down and motioned to Cale.
“Please have a seat.”
“Ha.”
Alberu scoffed.
“…Not bad.”
Cale chuckled and sat in the seat Kang Geun Mok motioned for him to sit.
The couches in the living room…
They were positioned with two long couches on either side and a single seat at the head.
Kang Geun Mok sat at the head seat and pointed to the seat next to Alberu for Cale.
“Mm. I’ll move.”
Alberu calmly got up and moved next to Rosalyn.
Cale sat alone on the long couch and looked toward Kang Geun Mok at the head seat.
“You are most likely here not for me but for the Chairman.”
Kang Geun Mok’s face was resolute.
“I cannot tell you anything.”
He didn’t give Cale any time to say anything and continued to speak.
“Even if that means I will die here today.”
He then smiled.
“Of course, if you are here to work together with our Transparent Corporation, we are happy to do so. We are always open to work with such talented people.”
‘Oh.’
Alberu could sense the honesty in Kang Geun Mok’s voice.
‘This won’t be easy for Cale.’
As he had that thought…
“Kang Geun Mok.”
Cale opened his mouth.
His voice was extremely businesslike, without any emotions at all.
“Met Honorary Chairman Han Taek Soo in his teens and had his life saved. Has been Han Taek Soo’s secretary since then, and his cold and collected judgment is extremely cherished by the Honorary Chairman. Supports Han Taek Soo even closer than Han Taek Soo’s own children.”
Cale looked at Kang Geun Mok.
“Kang Geun Mok’s loyalty is so deep that Honorary Chairman Han Taek Soo would follow Kang Geun Mok’s advice in both company matters as well as any big decisions in his personal life?”
“…….”
Kang Geun Mok responded with silence.
He was not planning on saying anything.
Even if it got him killed.
He also had a plan.
‘Let’s drag things out.’
If he does not return to Honorary Chairman Han Taek Soo’s residence in one hour… No, if he does not contact the Chairman in the next ten minutes…
He was certain that the Chairman would realize something and send his subordinates to the house.
‘Yeah. Ten minutes. That should be enough.’
This was the reason Kang Geun Mok could feel so relaxed.
However…
“But why do I not see any loyalty?”
Cale had no plans on dragging things out.
10 minutes?
Drag things out when they had no idea what would happen to Ahn Roh Man’s subordinate by the time the sun comes up?
‘I also need to watch Eden Miru’s birth.’
He had no idea what Clopeh would do overnight.
That was why Cale went straight for the answer.
“Kang Geun Mok.”
While the world and even Rosalyn mentioned loyalty…
Cale thought about what he discovered.
‘You also know that Honorary Chairman Han Taek Soo is not human, right?’
The moment he said that…
Cale, who had been nearby, actually, not Cale but another existence… The bluffer, who was the sharpest in this kind of thing, had discovered it.
– Huh?
The Dominating Aura spoke for the first time in a long while.
He spoke in an imposing voice.
– He’s scared right now.
He was not scared because of what Cale said.
He got super scared when you were talking about knowing Han Taek Soo not being human! I saw it! I’m very good at spotting things like this! I know even better now that I consumed that chaos power! He’s super scared! He’s completely submerged in fear?
That was the moment Cale realized why Han Taek Soo, no, why a damn Hunter, kept Kang Geun Mok by his side.
The patriarchs of the Hunter Households he had seen until now didn’t believe in things like loyalty.
“You’re scared, aren’t you?”
“……!”
Kang Geun Mok’s eyes opened wide.
This person had not been brainwashed.
He was just scared of Han Taek Soo.
“You are more scared of Han Taek Soo than you are of death.”
That was why Cale asked this question.
“Why?”
How could something be scarier than death?
“What did you see?”
What the hell did he see that he was living his life for Han Taek Soo?
The man’s old tree-like body was getting drenched with cold sweat for a different reason from before.
Cale, Alberu, and Rosalyn all saw that the back of Kang Geun Mok’s hand had gone pale.
Cale asked a new question.
“What did you see that made you so scared of Han Taek Soo?”
“…….”
But Kang Geun Mok kept his mouth shut and did not answer.
“You aren’t going to tell me?”
Cale asked once more.
“…Just kill me.”
Kang Geun Mok clenched his eyes shut, gave up on dragging things out, and decided to throw away his life.
“How resolute.”
Cale had no plans on dragging things out either.
He didn’t have any thoughts of extending this conversation.
Why was there a need to drag things out?
If Kang Geun Mok had loyalty or some other emotions, Cale would have wracked his brains quite a bit to convince him.
But if it is fear-
“Kang Geun Mok.”
Cale called out in a low voice and asked.
“You aren’t scared of us?”
Kang Geun Mok still had his eyes shut.
‘I’m not scared.’
He was not scared of these people as much as he was scared of Han Taek Soo.
He would choose death over what that thing that wasn’t human would do to him.
At that moment…
“I’m asking if you are not scared of me.”
He heard the youngster’s voice again.
Kang Geun Mok remained silent.
It was at that moment.
‘……!’
Kang Geun Mok felt something crawling up his leg.
No, he felt something slowly start to control the area around him.
This was not a scent.
Warmth.
Magic.
It wasn’t a special power either.
It was just the air.
Nothing else had changed.
‘No!’
Kang Geun Mok subconsciously opened his eyes.
He then saw it.
He saw Cale looking at him.
“Gasp!”
He then felt a pressure suffocate him.
‘T, this much is bearable!’
Kang Geun Mok recalled a memory from his past.
The moment he saw fifty years ago…
That was the first time he faced something released by a non-human existence, no, an existence that transcended humans.
He realized that it was something that made him scared for his life.
Han Taek Soo.
That bastard was a monster, but…
‘An even greater monster……!’
He definitely saw it.
That was a monster, no, an evil spirit-
‘No… An evil god!’
He had seen that dreadful thing.
‘If I don’t want to end up as fodder for that thing-’
That memory turned into an illusion and appeared in front of Kang Geun Mok.
‘Even if I die, I don’t want to fall into that hell.
I
I can hold on-’
“!”
Kang Geun Mok saw something in that illusion.
The dreadful memory that was binding him down…
The day he saw Han Taek Soo and the monster he was raising…
He saw it in that memory.
“H, how-”
‘Eyes.’
Reddish brown eyes were looking at him.
‘This is an illusion.
No.
This is not an illusion.
This is reality.’
Inside the illusion created with his dreadful memory…
Eyes looking firmly at him inside that fear…
That also made him feel fear and suffocated him, but, at the same time-
‘Ah.’
It wasn’t dreadful.
It was scary, but it made him want to lean on-
This gaze gave him certainty that falling under this person’s dominance would allow him to escape from this dreadful memory.
The illusion started disappearing.
Kang Geun Mok realized it.
That dreadful disaster Han Taek Soo had been creating…
Those empty eyes of that dreadful thing that would soon be born, that thing that the term, ‘evil god’ was extremely suited for…and the power between these eyes that were so different-
“You’re not scared of me?”
Kang Geun Mok slowly opened his mouth toward the young man asking in a stiff voice.
“…Me-”
Kang Geun Mok, who had fallen into the chaos that this dreadful illusion had created, felt the reality of his body being bound. But he asked toward the only light in the chaos that allowed him to realize reality.
Kang Geun Mok could say it because he had seen that dreadful pit.
“Can you save me?”
He finally found light in the chaos after fifty years.
This light could save him.
It had the power to do that.
—
Translator’s Comments
Kang Geun Mok… will he become free like Dobby?
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