How a Two-Life Scoundrel Lives - Chapter 10

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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【Episode 10】

The reaction Carlisle showed was something Grand Duke Guntram had ‘never’ expected.

Carlisle was a cowardly weakling, utterly frail both physically and mentally.

For Carlisle, a sword was merely a weapon used to threaten the weak, and it had been so long since he’d done proper training that his memory of it was hazy.

That such a Carlisle could overcome the fear of death and maintain such a calm and dignified attitude was simply astonishing.

He had thought him nothing more than a case of like father, like son, but to think he could show such spirit.

In the past, he would have trembled with his knees knocking together and probably wet his pants…

‘I heard he changed after waking up, but was this the reason?’

Grand Duke Guntram thought about Carlisle’s transformation, recalling the stories he had heard from Maranello.

‘Perhaps the head injury made him no longer fear death.’

However, the moment of surprise was brief, and the anger that had briefly subsided began to blaze like an active volcano once again.

“Do you have something to say?”

“Yes, I do.”

“What?”

Anger crept into Grand Duke Guntram’s voice.

“You say you have something to say. Are you now refusing to admit your guilt?”

“I will not admit to crimes I did not commit.”

“Crimes you did not commit?”

“The murder charge regarding the hunter Alberto – I cannot acknowledge it.”

“Carlisle, you bastard—!”

Grand Duke Guntram’s furious shout echoed thunderously throughout the area.

Whoooooosh!

Energy burst forth from the enraged Grand Duke Guntram, swirling around the courtroom and creating tremendous pressure.

“Urgh!”

“Grand Duke… Your Grace!”

“Hnngh!”

The pressure was so powerful that the people watching the trial closely groaned in pain and suffered.

Some even rolled their eyes back and fainted.

“Truly, do you truly wish to die by this father’s hand?”

Grand Duke Guntram exercised superhuman patience and did not draw his sword.

However, there was no doubt he was on the verge of drawing it.

“There is abundant evidence of your murderous rampage, and there are even witnesses! And yet you still intend to make excuses!”

“It’s not making excuses – I’m claiming innocence.”

People squeezed their eyes shut.

When they opened them again, they were quite surprised to see Carlisle’s head still attached.

‘To, to endure that.’

‘Did he restrain himself because he’s still his son?’

While people inwardly admired Grand Duke Guntram’s patience.

“Evidence, there must be evidence.”

“I request a witness.”

“Testimony alone won’t be enough to overturn the charges.”

“I also have evidence.”

“You have evidence?”

“Yes.”

“…Permission granted.”

Grand Duke Guntram said this while slowly closing his eyes.

Anyone could see he was doing his best to suppress his rising anger and proceed with the trial normally.

Meanwhile, Jeffrey, who was watching the situation, sneered inwardly.

‘There’s no way he has a witness. The fool is digging his own grave. Hehehe.’

There hadn’t been a single witness at the scene, not even an ant.

* * *

Carlisle looked back at Maranello.

“Maranello.”

“Yes, young master.”

Maranello guided Evangeline to the witness stand.

“This way, Miss Evangeline.”

“Y-yes.”

And so Evangeline came to stand at the witness stand.

“I-I greet Your Grace the Grand Duke.”

“What is your name?”

“I-I am called Evangeline.”

“Are you a witness for Carlisle van Sigmund?”

“Y-yes, I am.”

Evangeline at the witness stand trembled, perhaps from nervousness.

“If you commit perjury, I will severely punish that crime. Can you solemnly swear to speak only the truth?”

“I-I can swear to it.”

“Good.”

Grand Duke Guntram nodded.

“If you speak only the truth, I will not impose any punishment upon you. So there is no need to tremble or be afraid.”

“Yes, Your Grace.”

“Now, tell me what you saw and heard.”

“I-I will show you.”

“Hmm?”

Grand Duke Guntram frowned at the completely unexpected answer.

“Show me?”

“I am… I-I am.”

When Evangeline seemed to hyperventilate and couldn’t answer properly, Maranello stepped in.

“Your Grace, I report that Evangeline is a spirit mage who has contracted with an earth spirit.”

“Is that true?”

“How could I dare report falsehoods?”

Grand Duke Guntram looked quite surprised.

And rightfully so, as spirit mages who had contracted with earth spirits were extremely rare beings.

Murmur murmur!

“That girl is a spirit mage?”

“I don’t know whose daughter she is, but what good fortune.”

“Oh! A spirit mage!”

The people of Dekaron were equally surprised.

“Miss Evangeline here will read the earth’s memories about young master Carlisle and testify about what happened at that time.”

“The earth’s memories… that would be effective as evidence.”

Grand Duke Guntram nodded.

‘Wh-what is this.’

Jeffrey’s face instantly froze like frost.

Who would have expected a spirit mage contracted with an earth spirit to suddenly appear?

“Miss Evangeline, please begin your testimony.”

“Yes, Sir Maranello.”

Evangeline walked to the center of the courtroom with hesitant, trembling steps to perform the ritual.

Since it was a memory she had already read once, there was no need for Carlisle to be present or to go to the crime scene.

“■, ■■■ ■■■■. ■, ■■ ■ ■, ■■■ ■■■■ ■, ■■….”

Soon, Spirit Language began to flow from Evangeline’s lips.

‘This isn’t good.’

Carlisle frowned.

‘She’s nervous.’

Carlisle couldn’t understand or comprehend the Spirit Language that Evangeline was speaking at all.

However, he could sense that she was severely stuttering and her voice was trembling.

The feeling was completely different from the Spirit Language he had heard before.

“■, ■■■ ■■■■… ■■■… ■, ■■….”

“■, ■■■ ■■■■….”

“■, ■■■….”

Evangeline attempted the ritual repeatedly, but the more she tried, the worse her trembling became.

This was her first time standing before so many people, so her mind had gone completely blank from nervousness.

Murmur murmur!

“What’s this, did she really make a contract with a spirit?”

“Isn’t this a scam?”

“When is this going to work?”

When the people’s murmuring reached its peak.

“I, I can’t do it.”

Evangeline collapsed with a thud.

“I’m, I’m sorry… I’m sorry, I’m truly sorry.”

A cold silence descended upon the courtroom.

“Are you saying you cannot give testimony?”

“Y-yes, Your Grace. I’m, I’m sorry. I, I am….”

Evangeline answered Grand Duke Guntram’s question while trembling.

“Young master.”

“Ha.”

When Maranello showed his bewilderment, Carlisle let out a deep sigh as if he couldn’t believe it.

Even if a prepared meal gets overturned, there should be limits—he had never expected the ritual to fail due to nervousness.

“…I will render judgment.”

“Your Grace! This old man saw it clearly! Please postpone the judgment!”

Maranello stepped forward, unable to bear it any longer, but it was useless.

“Do you intend to mock this court? Maranello?”

“That is not my intention….”

“The defendant Carlisle van Sigmund is a criminal who has not only murdered the hunter Alberto but has committed countless crimes. When even the witness cannot testify to the criminal’s innocence, how can I postpone judgment?”

“Your Grace….”

“Your efforts to save the criminal are commendable, but that is enough. I will hear no more.”

Grand Duke Guntram said this and then looked at Carlisle.

“I, Guntram van Sigmund, as judge, sentence the criminal Carlisle van Sigmund to… death.”

Boom!

A heavy silence fell over the courtroom.

They had hoped it wouldn’t come to this, but he really pronounced a death sentence.

‘Ten years of my life saved. Hehe.’

Only one person.

Only Jeffrey felt relieved inside.

“F-Father!”

“Father!”

“Your Grace!”

Surprised Selena, Frey, and Maranello cried out urgently, but Grand Duke Guntram didn’t even blink.

“Brother?”

“Y-Your Grace.”

Even Medea and Rebesk, who despised Carlisle terribly, were shocked.

“…However.”

Grand Duke Guntram spoke again.

“By punishing the accomplice who aided the criminal’s evil deeds, I reduce the sentence from death to life military service as a slave soldier beyond the border.”

Everyone looked confused at Grand Duke Guntram’s judgment.

‘Did I have an accomplice?’

Even Carlisle himself was puzzled by this.

Step step!

Soon Grand Duke Guntram moved from the judge’s bench and stood in the center of the courtroom.

“The accomplice is I, Guntram van Sigmund.”

Grand Duke Guntram declared while looking around at the audience.

“As the father of the criminal, I am a pathetic father who failed to properly educate his child. If I had scolded the criminal more harshly for his past indulgences and disciplined him more severely, he would not have committed murder. So how can I say that I am not also a criminal?”

Grand Duke Guntram raised his left arm vertically.

“I, Guntram van Sigmund, as lord of Dekaron, sentence the father of criminal Carlisle van Sigmund to bodily mutilation. Christan!”

“Yes, Your Grace.”

“Cut off the left arm.”

Grand Duke Guntram ordered his aide Christan.

“…!”

“…!”

“…!”

Everyone was shocked.

Certainly not a single person had expected him to offer his own left arm as justification for reducing the sentence.

* * *

Carlisle was equally shocked.

Carlisle could feel how deep Grand Duke Guntram’s anguish was.

His position as lord of Dekaron, where he had no choice but to sentence even his son to death.

But also a father’s heart, unable to kill his own child with his own hands.

Grand Duke Guntram’s decision contained both positions and feelings simultaneously.

In that case….

‘I have to see this through to the end.’

He had no intention of being sent beyond the border to live as a slave soldier for life, nor of living as the most unfilial son who made his father cut off his own left arm.

“You.”

Carlisle strode over and forcibly lifted up Evangeline, who was sitting there in a daze.

His wrists ached from the handcuffs, but now wasn’t the time to worry about such things.

“Look at me.”

Carlisle brought his face close to Evangeline’s.

“Let’s try once more.”

“B-but… but….”

“Don’t mind the others. Think there’s no one around, and focus on me.”

“Think there’s no one around?”

“That’s right.”

Carlisle nodded.

“Right now, in front of you, there’s only me.”

“Only you, young master….”

“You need to send your siblings to school. If you succeed at this, I guarantee you’ll say goodbye to poverty forever. You won’t have to live as a struggling young household head anymore.”

“R-really?”

“Yes.”

Carlisle showed a gentle smile.

It was the first smile he had shown since awakening in Carlisle’s body.

“I-I’ll try.”

Evangeline clenched her fists tightly.

“■■ ■■ ■■■■. ■■ ■ ■■■ ■■ ■■■ ■■ ■■■■■. ■■ ■■ ■■■■ ■■ ■■■….”

Soon, Spirit Language flowed from Evangeline’s lips once again.

The power of encouragement from a peerless handsome man and financial therapy was truly amazing.

Evangeline’s intonation while speaking Spirit Language was clearly different from before.

‘It worked.’

Just as Carlisle was confident of the ritual’s success.

Rustle, rustle.

The ground began to writhe as if it were alive and moving.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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