How a Two-Life Scoundrel Lives - Chapter 120
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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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【Chapter 120】
As soon as Carlisle’s group returned to Bowden Fortress, they washed their bodies first.
Since they had been trapped inside the research laboratory all day cleaning up filth and were in a terrible state, it was natural for them to want to throw off their dirty military uniforms and wash up.
“Phew! So refreshing! So refreshing!”
“I feel like I can live again.”
“I thought I was going to die buried in shit! Hahaha!”
The scout members who had finished bathing in warm water gathered together, drinking cool beverages and feeling refreshed.
“Ugh. The smell.”
Carlisle, who had finished bathing last and entered the barracks, frowned.
“Did you all really wash?”
“What do you mean by that? Did we really wash? Didn’t you see us wash first?”
“I saw you.”
“Then?”
“You smell.”
“We smell…?”
“Yes.”
Carlisle answered while covering his nose.
“Aren’t you being too sensitive? We scrubbed hard with soap in warm water, so how could we possibly smell?”
“You really do smell though.”
“Don’t bullshit me.”
Begman snorted as if it was ridiculous.
“Hey, you.”
“Yes?”
“Do we smell or not?”
Begman asked another scout member sitting across from him.
“Honestly… you do smell a bit.”
“What, what did you say?!”
“There has been some kind of foul smell coming from the barracks since earlier.”
“…!”
“I was wondering what that smell was, and it was coming from you, Captain? Ugh.”
Those scout members covered their noses as if they couldn’t stand it anymore and left the barracks.
“I need to get some fresh air, this won’t do.”
“I thought so. I wondered if something was wrong with my nose.”
The remaining scout members also quickly escaped from the barracks as if they had been waiting for this.
Thanks to this, only Begman and the personnel who had been trapped inside the research laboratory remained in the barracks.
“It seems we smell?”
“Could it have soaked into our bodies?”
“Since we were covered in sewage every day, it’s not impossible.”
“That’s true.”
“Sniff sniff. It does seem to smell…”
Begman, Wilson, Marder, Kudo, Russell, Adrian, and Lieutenant Melvin each sniffed their own body odor to check if they smelled.
“I don’t smell anything at all? What smell are they talking about?”
Begman said with an expression of complete incomprehension.
“Perhaps our noses have adapted to the stench.”
“Really…?”
“We got used to it when we were in the research laboratory too.”
“That’s true too. Then when will the smell go away?”
“It’ll probably take at least a few days. Haha.”
“Can’t we just wash a few more times?”
“Smells that have soaked into the body don’t come out as easily as you’d think. Still, it’s better than the smell of blood. The smell of blood doesn’t go away for at least a few years.”
“What’s that supposed to mean? The smell of blood?”
“It’s nothing.”
Kudo smiled awkwardly.
“Tch. That bastard is a noble so he didn’t do any work and probably didn’t get the smell on him.”
Just as Begman was glaring at Carlisle.
Tweeeeet!
The sound of a whistle signaling an emergency came from outside the barracks.
“…!”
Just as everyone was confused by the sudden emergency situation.
“Sir Helen says that those who have returned should not come out and rest well.”
“What’s going on?”
“It seems there’s a small-scale battle happening nearby, but it’s nothing serious.”
“Really? Hmm.”
Begman stroked his bushy growing beard and pondered for a moment, then suddenly stood up.
“Damn it.”
“They really won’t let us rest.”
The scout members got up one by one and began gathering their equipment.
“Are you going out? You just returned.”
Carlisle, who had been watching silently, asked Begman.
“We have to go.”
“Sir Helen said you could rest.”
“How can we just watch from behind when our comrades are risking their lives fighting outside?”
“…”
“Those who want to rest can rest. I’m not forcing anyone.”
Begman said that, then gathered his equipment and left the barracks.
“Let’s go and come back quickly.”
“They really don’t give us time to rest.”
Kudo, Marder, Wilson, and Russell also hurriedly followed Begman.
“They say it’s asking for trouble. They live such tiring lives.”
Carlisle shook his head as if he couldn’t stop them.
“Wh-what should we do? Private Carlisle?”
“Should we go too…?”
Adrian and Lieutenant Melvin asked Carlisle.
“Why are you asking me that? You should judge for yourselves.”
Carlisle left those words and followed the senior soldiers out of the barracks.
‘They call it the season of war, and there’s no time to rest.’
Before winter approached.
A time when armies from both sides constantly fought to establish a foothold for magic stone mining.
A season when battles broke out without a moment’s rest.
That was autumn in this world.
* * *
The next day.
Carlisle was summoned by Krabel, the battalion commander.
“Why.”
“Why…?”
Krabel doubted his own ears.
It was already outrageous that a mere private had taken so long to appear after being called, but the first thing he said was “Why?”
“Is that something to say to a battalion commander? Private Carlisle?”
“I’m asking why you called me.”
“This simply won’t do.”
Krabel shot up from his seat, fuming.
“Private Carlisle. I’m applying charges of insubordination against you for disciplinary action…”
“Should I desert again?”
“…!”
Krabel’s body trembled with shock.
How much mental anguish had he suffered from Carlisle’s desertion incident?
“Or maybe I should defect to the barbarians’ camp?”
“A-are you confessing to plotting treason right now?”
“It’s not a confession, it’s a warning.”
Carlisle answered with a cold smile.
“If you keep bothering me, I’m thinking of doing just that. How does that sound to you?”
“Urgh.”
“If that doesn’t appeal to you…”
“S-stop!”
Krabel shouted angrily.
“How dare you threaten me, a battalion commander! A mere private!”
“Of course a mere private shouldn’t threaten a battalion commander. I’d be court-martialed and disciplined, or if unlucky, even executed. But if that worthless private happens to be the scoundrel of the Sigmund family, the story becomes a bit different, doesn’t it?”
“Grr.”
“If you still want to reform me and promote me, I’ll make you take off that military uniform.”
“Grrr!”
Though Krabel trembled with rage, he couldn’t bring himself to say he would discipline Carlisle.
This incident had made him painfully realize that if Carlisle went astray again, Krabel’s own position could become precarious.
“…If you don’t cause any particular problems, this battalion commander won’t trouble you anymore either. Phew.”
Krabel said with a deep sigh.
“You should have done that from the start. What’s all this about? Making everyone tired.”
“…”
“Since you’re saying you’ll do that, I’ll wait and see for now. Conduct yourself properly from now on.”
“Th-thank you.”
“And don’t bother Sir Helen unnecessarily either.”
“Of course. But…”
Krabel opened his mouth cautiously.
“Bringing a woman to the military unit is too much, isn’t it? I really can’t overlook that…”
“Ah.”
Carlisle nodded as if he understood.
“I’ll contact the main house about that woman and handle it myself, so don’t worry too much.”
“Since you say you’ll do that, I’ll understand it that way for now. However, keep in mind that this battalion commander cannot take responsibility if problems arise. Ahem. Ahem ahem.”
Carlisle shook his head at Krabel’s self-serving remarks and spoke again.
“That aside. You’re not planning to go back on your word, are you?”
“Go back on my word…?”
“We annihilated an entire tribe and stabilized the entire area, so you’re not saying you won’t give any compensation to the people who led the operation, are you?”
“Ah, that’s what you meant. Don’t worry about that. The higher-ups are also evaluating this operation highly, so the 3rd Company’s scout unit will receive appropriate rewards. So just wait a day or two.”
“Right.”
Carlisle stood up from his seat without permission and approached the door.
“Anything else you want to say?”
“…No.”
“Take care.”
After Carlisle left.
“That! That insolent bastard!”
Krabel trembled with rage thinking of Carlisle.
But even so, it was no exaggeration to say there was virtually no way to disadvantage him unless Carlisle committed outrageous acts without reason.
As Carlisle himself had said, he wasn’t just some ordinary private, but a direct descendant of the Sigmund family and the son of Grand Duke Guntram, the ruler of Dekaron.
* * *
A few days later.
Carlisle’s group received their rewards.
And rightfully so, having achieved the feat of wiping out a tribe of 1,500 people in just one night, it would be nonsensical for the superior unit to ignore such merit.
The rewards were the Bronze Star Medal, prize money equivalent to a family’s living expenses for a year, a one-rank promotion, and 30 days of leave.
Of course, the rewards weren’t particularly attractive to Carlisle.
Carlisle had no need for medals or prize money.
Also, due to disciplinary action, promotion was impossible, so he still had to wear the private’s rank insignia.
However, the 30 days of leave was quite an attractive reward, so Carlisle was satisfied.
Normally, he would have had to fight throughout autumn, called the season of war, and could only go on leave after the first snow fell.
“Have a good leave. Well then, I’ll be going.”
As before, Carlisle rode in the Sigmund family’s carriage that came to pick him up and headed to the castle.
“Rich kids are really different.”
“I don’t really notice when we’re together in the unit, but you definitely feel the gap when we’re outside.”
The scout members watched the departing carriage with envy before soon turning their steps away.
They too had their own destinations.
Meanwhile, Maranello and Evangeline, who had come to pick up Carlisle, were quite flustered.
“Um, Young Master…?”
“Yeah.”
“Who is the person beside you? Surely you didn’t bring a woman into the military camp. Heh heh heh…”
Maranello had rushed out to greet Carlisle after hearing he had achieved great merit, but was half out of his mind seeing Beatrice beside him.
“Hehe.”
Moreover, since Beatrice was linking arms with Carlisle and practically clinging to him while nuzzling, it wasn’t unreasonable for Maranello to misunderstand.
“Her? Ah, stop.”
“Hehehe.”
“Urgh.”
While Carlisle struggled desperately to pry Beatrice off, he explained what had happened.
“…So you’re saying this young lady is a creation of the mage Antiros?”
“Something like that.”
“My goodness.”
“She’s dangerous, so Maranello, you take care of her directly from now on.”
“Pardon?”
“When she gets angry, she can turn 20-30 knights into corpses in the blink of an eye.”
“Is that really true?”
“Yeah.”
Carlisle nodded.
“She’s more of a monster than she looks, so handle her carefully. Otherwise, an irreversible accident will happen.”
“But if she’s such an existence…”
Carlisle didn’t miss the sharp killing intent that flashed in Maranello’s eyes.
‘Right.’
Carlisle knew what Maranello couldn’t bring himself to say.
‘An artificially created life form… especially an unstable being in human form shouldn’t exist in this world. But… not everyone was born because they wanted to be born.’
Such a thought suddenly crossed his mind, so Carlisle couldn’t easily agree with Maranello’s words.
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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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