How a Two-Life Scoundrel Lives - Chapter 121

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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 121】

 

“I understand what you mean, but that’s not something to discuss in front of the person involved. Let’s talk about it separately later.”

 

“Understood, Young Master.”

 

Maranello grasped the meaning and no longer spoke of such eerie matters.

 

“I’ll tell the Grand Duke myself, so don’t mention it first.”

 

“Yes, Young Master. But calling your father Grand Duke…”

 

“What else would I call a Grand Duke if not Grand Duke?”

 

“Haha…”

 

“Anyway, I’ll handle it myself, so Maranello, you stay by this friend’s side and take care of her. She doesn’t know much, so teach her various things.”

 

“Understood.”

 

“You help out too. Think of her as a younger sister.”

 

Carlisle turned to look at Evangeline as he made the request.

 

“Yes, Young Master.”

 

Evangeline seemed somewhat cautious, but she didn’t object to Carlisle’s order.

 

‘Maranello and Evangeline should be reliable enough to entrust her to. It’ll be less tiring for me too.’

 

Beatrice was essentially no different from an infant, so it would be impossible for Carlisle to personally care for and teach her everything.

 

Moreover, if that place was a battlefield, it would be even more difficult.

 

On a battlefield where it’s hard enough to take care of oneself, there would be no way to look after someone no different from an idiot, especially a monster like a ticking time bomb that could explode at any moment.

 

‘I should meet with the Grand Duke first. It’s about time I had a proper conversation with him.’

 

Carlisle felt the cold air coming through the carriage window and sensed the need for dialogue.

 

Since this winter was expected to bring unprecedented cold in history, he needed to prepare for the coming season of death through conversation with the Grand Duke.

 

Otherwise, Decaron would also suffer damage, and Carlisle himself would face various difficulties.

 

‘Only if Decaron remains intact and House Sigmund runs smoothly can my comfortable retirement be guaranteed.’

 

Carlisle couldn’t help but acknowledge that he was House Sigmund, and House Sigmund was him.

 

The United Kingdom was a world built on a blood-centered society.

 

How much more so for a great noble from one of the Thirteen Families.

 

When the day comes that the Royal Family’s secrets are revealed, the United Kingdom will split apart and the day will come when a specific family achieves centralized power.

 

When that happens, most of the remaining Twelve Families would surely perish to the point of extinction and have their territories seized.

 

If by any chance a hostile family like the Lauren Family were to achieve great success, it went without saying that Carlisle too would not remain safe.

 

‘Though it’s bothersome, at least I won’t have to roll around on battlefields during winter.’

 

Carlisle expected that there would be no battles this winter under normal circumstances.

 

There was no one anywhere who would desperately fight in the bitter cold that would freeze tens of thousands to death.

 

Why?

 

Because in the coming winter, everyone’s enemy to fight would be the cold, not other people.

 

* * *

 

“…”

 

Grand Duke Guntram’s expression as he looked at his son was complex and subtle.

 

“What brings you here?”

 

“What do you mean what brings me here? I’m on leave, so I came to pay my respects. Why, don’t you like it?”

 

“You?”

 

Grand Duke Guntram asked back as if amazed.

 

“Last time you got leave, you locked yourself in your room immediately, and when I called for you, didn’t you even run away from home?”

 

“That was when I was immature.”

 

“…”

 

Grand Duke Guntram momentarily lost his words and stared blankly at Carlisle.

 

“Did I get something on my face?”

 

Whether he knew what was going through Grand Duke Guntram’s mind or not, Carlisle pointed to his own face and asked.

 

“…I heard the news.”

 

“I’m sure you did.”

 

“For something you stumbled into, you seem to have achieved great merit.”

 

“Luck is also a skill.”

 

Carlisle realized from Grand Duke Guntram’s words that he knew most of what had happened.

 

“But I heard you turned your back on the enemy commander.”

 

“It was a fight with no real benefit.”

 

“Didn’t you think it was a matter involving the family’s honor?”

 

“It’s not like I’ve brought shame to the family just once or twice, so why are you making such a fuss about it now?”

 

“It sounds like you have no intention of getting promoted.”

 

“After being disciplined, continuing to live as a Private doesn’t seem too bad.”

 

“…”

 

Grand Duke Guntram covered his face as if tired.

 

He thought his son would be filled with resentment after being passed over for promotion, but who would have thought he’d try to settle down as a perpetual Private…

 

“Sigh. So what did you want to say that brought you to see this father?”

 

Grand Duke Guntram let out a big sigh and spoke.

 

“I was curious if you’re preparing well.”

 

“What kind of preparation?”

 

“For winter.”

 

“If it’s that matter, even without your opinion, we’re putting all our efforts into mining magic coal. Who would refuse being able to substitute fuel with magic coal?”

 

“That’s good.”

 

Carlisle nodded.

 

“Then you just need to supply plenty of magic coal before winter comes.”

 

“That’s what I was planning to do anyway.”

 

“Oh, and also.”

 

“…?”

 

“While you’re at it, please send plenty of magic stones to the Galladern Family too.”

 

The Galladern Family, which ruled the Southern United Kingdom, was a family that maintained very friendly relations with House Sigmund.

 

“To Galladern?”

 

“Since they’re in the south, if unexpected cold hits them, the damage won’t be insignificant.”

 

“That’s true.”

 

“So let’s help them in advance. If a truly harsh winter comes, they won’t even be able to ask for help.”

 

“We’ll do that.”

 

Grand Duke Guntram readily accepted Carlisle’s proposal.

 

Carlisle’s words about cold beyond imagination coming actually sounded quite absurd.

 

His attitude of speaking as if he could foresee the future despite not being of royal bloodline was almost laughable.

 

However, since it was valid content even if severe cold didn’t come, Grand Duke Guntram could accept Carlisle’s proposal without much deliberation.

 

“Then that’s settled.”

 

“What’s the identity of the woman you brought into the military camp?”

 

“Oh, that friend.”

 

Carlisle told Grand Duke Guntram about Beatrice.

 

“Hmm.”

 

Grand Duke Guntram thought for a moment, then opened his mouth.

 

“Do you want to keep that being alive?”

 

“She’s pitiful. It’s not like she chose to be born.”

 

“Then become strong.”

 

“Pardon?”

 

“If you become strong enough to control that child even if she goes berserk, then I’ll allow it. I cannot permit it yet.”

 

“Isn’t that too unreasonable a condition?”

 

Carlisle frowned.

 

In the game [Overlord], Beatrice’s combat power was truly terrifying, to the point where even the protagonist character Frey van Sigmund couldn’t carelessly mess with her.

 

For the current Carlisle, becoming strong enough to control such a Beatrice was completely out of the question.

 

“If you lack confidence to control her, then dispose of her with your own hands.”

 

“…!”

 

“Don’t tell me you were planning to pass even that responsibility onto others.”

 

Carlisle felt as if his chest had been pierced by Grand Duke Guntram’s frost-sharp rebuke.

 

Grand Duke Guntram was the lord of Decaron and acknowledged as one of the strongest in the United Kingdom, a person who had reached an unparalleled level in swordsmanship, and a warrior who ranked among the top five in the history of House Sigmund.

 

Such a person would never take lightly dealing with an unstable and dangerous existence like Beatrice.

 

“That wasn’t my intention. Phew.”

 

Carlisle let out a deep sigh and answered.

 

“I’ll try to get stronger. Though I’m not sure if it’ll work out.”

 

“Then I shall postpone the disposal of that thing.”

 

“For how long?”

 

“That depends on what you do.”

 

“Hmm.”

 

“I won’t say much more. I trust you’ll handle it properly.”

 

“Yes.”

 

Carlisle nodded obediently.

 

He knew all too well that Grand Duke Guntram would never compromise on matters like this.

 

* * *

 

“Haah.”

 

Carlisle returned to his room and let out a deep sigh as he sank into the sofa.

 

‘Thanks to picking up a troublesome burden, things are about to get tiresome in various ways.’

 

Just thinking about training made him feel like his vision was already going dark.

 

What was training in House Sigmund like?

 

It was something closer to ascetic practice than training, based on bone-cutting pain.

 

True Sigmund training meant constantly facing one’s limits and aiming to surpass them.

 

The process was essentially no different from torture, and from ordinary people’s perspective, most of it was tantamount to suicide.

 

In fact, over the past few hundred years, the number of Sigmunds who lost their lives during training easily exceeded dozens.

 

‘I feel like I went to the research laboratory and picked up a burden. I can’t abandon her now. Haah.’

 

Still, it wasn’t like there were no positive aspects at all.

 

‘I might be able to get stronger faster than others.’

 

Carlisle recalled one of his abilities, [Silent One’s Devotion].

 

Since he had the ability to focus solely on training in a state of selfless absorption without any distracting thoughts, it seemed like he could somehow grow stronger.

 

‘Even aside from Beatrice, I should at least be able to protect myself.’

 

Carlisle recalled the 5-star barbarian warrior Asnathal, whom he had last faced.

 

Carlisle acknowledged that he was stronger than himself.

 

If they had fought seriously with their lives on the line, could he have won?

 

‘Nine times out of ten, I would have lost.’

 

Coldly recalling the situation at that time, that was his conclusion.

 

‘If I become overwhelmingly strong, I won’t suffer losses fighting anyone….’

 

Crash!

 

Suddenly the door shattered into pieces, and some old woman burst into Carlisle’s room.

 

“…What the.”

 

Carlisle frowned and glared at the old person.

 

White hair, bent back, wrinkled face.

 

At first glance, she was an old woman who didn’t seem to have much time left to live, but her eyes alone were as cold as Grand Duke Guntram’s.

 

“Your face is still as slick as ever.”

 

“…?”

 

“I hear you’ve been tarnishing our family’s reputation lately?”

 

“I did tarnish it, but… who are you?”

 

“Who are youuuu~?”

 

The old woman glared.

 

“You ill-mannered, disrespectful brat. I heard you had no respect for anyone, but now you can’t even recognize your great-aunt?”

 

“Great-aunt, you mean… Ah.”

 

Carlisle finally remembered who she was and nodded.

 

‘I think that person has been missing without a trace for about 5 years. She was alive.’

 

Gorbad van Sigmund.

 

Grand Duke Guntram’s father’s younger sister and the previous family head’s sister.

 

She was Carlisle’s great-aunt and currently the eldest member of House Sigmund.

 

Since she was already not of this world when the game [Overlord] began, she didn’t appear directly, but….

 

“Oh. Hello.”

 

Carlisle greeted Gorbad with an awkward tone.

 

“But what brings you here?”

 

“What brings me? Hah!”

 

Gorbad trembled as if she was dumbfounded.

 

“I heard that not only did you drag our family’s honor through the gutter, but you also turned your back during a duel with an enemy commander. Is what I heard correct?”

 

“I did turn my back. There was no need to fight one-on-one….”

 

At that moment.

 

Whoosh!

 

Gorbad’s staff came down toward Carlisle’s crown with a thunk!

 

“…!”

 

Clang!

 

Startled, Carlisle drew Grimgand like lightning to block the staff.

 

However, it couldn’t be called blocking.

 

Boom!

 

Crash!

 

Clatter!

 

The moment the staff and Grimgand collided, the resulting shockwave turned Carlisle’s room into a complete mess.

 

“…Ugh!”

 

A pained groan flowed from Carlisle’s mouth.

 

Tremble tremble!

 

Drip….

 

Both hands gripping Grimgand shook like aspen leaves, and blood flowed from his torn palms.

 

‘Is she really a grandmother?’

 

Carlisle couldn’t help but be shocked by the staff’s power.

 

A Sigmund was still a Sigmund, but who would have thought that even an old woman over 90 and approaching 100 would possess such monstrous strength?

 

“Oh my, you blocked it?”

 

Gorbad swung her staff again.

 

“…!”

 

Carlisle struck out without time to think.

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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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