How a Two-Life Scoundrel Lives - Chapter 14
—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————
【Episode 14】
Just a feather duster.
Using something like that against a wooden sword was nothing short of absurd, but…
‘That’s understandable.’
Carlisle knew Maranello’s skill well, so he wasn’t embarrassed at all.
A master like Maranello could easily knock down someone like Carlisle wielding a real sword with just his bare fists in an instant.
He was only using something resembling a feather duster because he was helping with swordsmanship training.
“Since it’s the first day today, I’ll go easy on you, young master. Hehe.”
“I have no intention of overdoing it either.”
Having held a sword for the very first time in both his past and current life, excessive training was forbidden.
“Please come at me first, young master.”
“Alright.”
Carlisle gripped his sword and searched his memories.
‘That’s how you do it.’
The real Carlisle’s memories of swordsmanship came to mind.
“Then, here I come.”
Carlisle swung his wooden sword according to the Sigmund Family Swordsmanship.
Swoosh, swish!
The wooden sword flew toward Maranello with a threatening sound.
Whoosh whoosh.
Thud, thunk.
Maranello swung his feather duster and lightly deflected Carlisle’s wooden sword.
Tingle tingle!
‘Huh?’
A shock like electricity flowing through his grip on the wooden sword was transmitted to him.
While Maranello seemed to lightly tap with his feather duster, it felt like his grip would tear apart.
“This area has been continuously open since earlier, young master.”
Maranello’s feather duster touched the area above Carlisle’s pelvis.
“…I’m dead.”
Carlisle frowned.
“Yes, young master. You just lost one kidney to the enemy. And then next…”
“Either a sword would pierce my heart, my head would fly off, or I’d be cut in half.”
“That’s correct.”
“Let’s go again.”
“Come at me.”
The sparring began again.
But the result was the same.
“You’ve died again.”
“…”
The difference in skill between Maranello and Carlisle was truly like heaven and earth.
Even though Maranello was appropriately matching Carlisle’s level, it was difficult to last more than ten exchanges.
After about seven rounds of sparring ended, Carlisle could no longer continue.
“Huff, gasp, gasp…”
He was so out of breath that his breathing wouldn’t calm down at all.
The metallic smell of blood rose from his throat, and his stomach churned.
His arms were trembling, his shoulders ached, and his legs were on the verge of giving out.
The cause was endurance.
[Alert: No stamina remaining!]
[Alert: No stamina remaining!]
(Omitted)
[Alert: No stamina remaining!]
[Alert: No stamina remaining!]
[Alert: No stamina remaining!]
(Omitted)
[Alert: No stamina remaining!]
[Alert: No stamina remaining!]
[Alert: No stamina remaining!]
(Omitted)
[Alert: No stamina remaining!]
[Alert: No stamina remaining!]
[Alert: No stamina remaining!]
(Omitted)
[Alert: No stamina remaining!]
[Alert: No stamina remaining!]
[Alert: No stamina remaining!]
(Omitted)
[Alert: No stamina remaining!]
Perhaps because his body had been indulging in pleasures for the past few years, there was no worse physical condition than this terrible stamina.
“Wait, just a moment. Huff huff. Let me rest. Gasp. Huff, gasp.”
“Yes, young master.”
“Gasp, gaasp.”
“Please use this.”
Maranello handed a towel and water to the panting Carlisle.
It was well over 5 minutes later when Carlisle’s breathing returned to normal.
“Young master.”
“Yeah?”
“It seems you should start with physical training first. To be frank, with your current stamina level, swordsmanship is meaningless.”
“…I suppose so.”
“You’d become a laughingstock among the soldiers too.”
Carlisle was of noble birth and had learned swordsmanship and studied military science since childhood, so he was scheduled to serve as an officer.
The problem was that Carlisle, who was supposed to lead and command soldiers, didn’t even have minimum physical fitness.
With that, he would be nothing but a burden even to common soldiers, let alone capable of command.
“Since there’s still some time before enlistment, how about focusing on physical training for the time being?”
“Yeah, let’s do that.”
“Then shall we call it a day?”
“I think we’ll have to.”
Carlisle had no choice but to put down his wooden sword.
All his muscles were already screaming in pain, making further training impossible.
* * *
The next morning.
“Ugh!”
Carlisle dragged his aching body toward the training ground.
“One! Two! One! Two! One two three four! One two three four!”
Despite the early hour, countless knights were conducting their morning physical training at the training ground.
“Young master, let’s run together.”
“Yes, I’ll run with you too.”
Evangeline, who had finished moving and joined them, also participated in Carlisle’s physical training.
And so the running drill began.
“Huff, gasp, huff, wheeze, gasp!”
Carlisle fell behind just 5 minutes after starting the running drill.
“Young master, please get up.”
“J-just a moment. Huff, gasp.”
“Young master, you can do it! Come on! Get up quickly! I’ll run with you!”
“You, you. Huff huff. What’s with you having. Huff, gasp. Such good stamina. Wheeze.”
Evangeline had exceptionally good stamina even for a commoner.
As the head of her household, she had naturally built up her stamina by doing all sorts of odd jobs like sewing, herb gathering, and laundry to feed her siblings.
“Young master, please get up. Many eyes are watching. You mustn’t show weakness.”
“…That’s none of my business.”
Carlisle didn’t care one bit whether others laughed at him or not.
Compared to the mountain of misdeeds and disgraceful acts the real Carlisle had committed, this little embarrassment was nothing.
Right, that didn’t matter at all.
But being openly mocked was an entirely different matter.
“Feeling like you’re going to die from exhaustion? Keke!”
“So pathetic and weak. Huffing and puffing after running just that much.”
The Gunter and Hector brothers approached and sneered.
They were already soaked in sweat from running dozens of laps, but showed no signs of being tired.
“How do you plan to fight the barbarians with that kind of stamina?”
“Pfft! Brother Carlisle fighting barbarians? He’ll just trail behind the soldiers and fall behind!”
The Hector and Gunter brothers mocked Carlisle without hesitation, acting triumphant.
And for good reason – though they were younger than Carlisle, their stamina was incomparably superior.
And it wasn’t just stamina.
Their swordsmanship skills had also developed to a level where Carlisle was no match for them.
That’s why the Hector and Gunter brothers would constantly disrespect, mock, and sometimes pick fights with Carlisle whenever they had the chance.
Of course, Carlisle had his own temper and would resist with all his might, but the truth was that once he started being completely overpowered physically, he had begun sneaking around to avoid them.
In other words, while Carlisle played the tyrant to those of lower status than himself, within the family he was nothing but a pathetic loser who was looked down upon even by his younger cousins, the Hector and Gunter brothers.
Though it was his own doing…
But the current Carlisle was different.
“Stop buzzing around like flies and get lost.”
When Carlisle snapped at them, the Hector and Gunter brothers grinned.
“Oh~”
“Acting tough because you’re in front of old man Maranello? Keke!”
The Hector and Gunter brothers felt no threat from Carlisle whatsoever.
In fact, to those brothers, Carlisle was nothing more than an amusing toy.
Indeed, the Hector and Gunter brothers would threaten Carlisle in all sorts of ways whenever he was alone.
“Young masters, it’s troublesome for you to act this way when young master Carlisle is trying to focus on his physical training.”
Unable to watch any longer, Maranello stepped forward and smiled at the Hector and Gunter brothers.
That smile was certainly gentle, but the Hector and Gunter brothers didn’t feel it was at all.
If they picked a fight with Carlisle in front of Maranello, they might face unpleasant consequences.
“Right, acting tough because you’re in front of old man Maranello. Watch your back at night, brother.”
“Keke! Yeah, watch your back at night.”
The Hector and Gunter brothers hinted at retaliation and disappeared.
“Maranello.”
“Yes, young master.”
“How long do you think it would take for me to crush those guys?”
“In what regard, sir?”
“Whether in stamina or swordsmanship.”
“In stamina, it would take at least a year.”
“What about swordsmanship.”
“If you truly work hard, it might be possible in about 2-3 years.”
A smile actually appeared on Maranello’s lips as he said this.
Why?
Because he caught a glimpse of fighting spirit in Carlisle’s eyes.
“That’s a long time.”
“You’ve been wasting your time. On the other hand, young master Hector and young master Gunter have…”
“I know what you’re saying.”
Carlisle cut him off decisively.
“I’ll stop here for today.”
“Pardon?”
Maranello frowned.
Was he already giving up when he’d barely started physical training?
“Young master, if you give up this easily, your stamina won’t improve… Young master? Young master!”
“What.”
“Are you really going to give up here?”
“Yeah, I’m giving up.”
“Young master, please have patience. You must at least build up your stamina. If you don’t…”
But Carlisle didn’t listen to Maranello’s words.
“When I get back to my room, prepare some bath water for me.”
“Yes, young master.”
Carlisle really did give up on physical training and returned to his room.
“I knew it.”
“He can’t even last 30 minutes.”
“As expected.”
The knights nodded as if they had expected this when they saw Carlisle leaving the training ground.
To the Carlisle they knew, even the phrase “three-day enthusiasm” was too generous.
* * *
That night.
Before Carlisle went to bed.
“Well then, sleep well.”
Maranello’s voice as he said this wasn’t as kind as usual.
It was extremely businesslike and stiff, clearly showing he was very disappointed in Carlisle.
Well, having given up on physical training in just 10 minutes, he probably wondered if this was even human behavior.
But Carlisle didn’t care at all and went to sleep as usual, rolling up in his blanket.
A few hours later.
Swish.
Carlisle quietly slipped out from under his blanket.
“Young master? Where are you going?”
“Just for a walk.”
“We’ll escort you.”
“I’m going alone, so mind your own business.”
“But…”
“I said mind your own business.”
The knights guarding the door reluctantly let Carlisle pass, as if they had no choice.
Carlisle immediately moved his steps and headed toward the garden.
“Did you hear about Young Master Carlisle? You know?”
“Ah, that scoundrel collapsed at the training ground?”
“There’s no stamina as pathetic as his pathetic stamina.”
Though he encountered knights on patrol, Carlisle hid himself in the bushes.
The place he arrived at after avoiding the patrolling knights was a stone wall located in a corner of the garden.
‘It should be somewhere around here.’
Carlisle slowly examined the stone wall.
Though it was deep into the night, the unusually bright moonlight made it not too difficult to examine the stone wall.
‘Found it.’
Carlisle’s eyes lit up as he discovered a slightly faded section of the stone wall.
Swoosh, swish.
Carlisle’s pale white fingers caressed the faded brick.
Then the stone wall seemed to ripple for a moment, and Carlisle’s finger sank right in.
‘Perfect.’
Seeing the stone wall transform, Carlisle moved his steps without hesitation.
Soon the scenery before his eyes changed, revealing a long corridor with burning torches installed on both sides.
[Notice: Entering 【Forgotten Secret Passage】.]
[Notice: Entering 【Forgotten Secret Passage】.]
[Notice: Entering 【Forgotten Secret Passage】.]
[Notice: Entering 【Forgotten Secret Passage】.]
[Notice: Entering 【Forgotten Secret Passage】.]
Carlisle ignored the status window that appeared before his eyes and walked straight along the long corridor.
Had he walked for about 5 minutes?
A small washbasin came into view, and behind it stood a massive stone gate.
In front of the washbasin, the following inscription was written:
– Only those of House Sigmund’s bloodline may enter within.
—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE
