How a Two-Life Scoundrel Lives - Chapter 2
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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 2】
No, even if he was a scoundrel, how could he kill someone?
The disgust I felt toward the original owner of this body, Carlisle van Sigmund, was only momentary.
‘The son of Guntram killed a territory citizen?’
What kind of person could he have been to cause such an outrageous incident? I was beyond speechless—I even felt dizzy.
‘This puts my life in danger.’
The reason Carlisle thought this was because he knew Guntram’s personality all too well.
House Sigmund was one of the thirteen families supporting the Nurburg Kingdom, a military house responsible for defending the northern region.
Guntram, the head of House Sigmund and a grand duke of the kingdom, had an unbendingly upright personality.
He was not only a principled man but also someone who was absolutely strict about the responsibilities and duties of nobility.
There was no way such a person would overlook Carlisle’s murder of a territory citizen.
No matter that they were blood relatives, he would surely hold a formal trial and impose punishment befitting the crime.
‘So that’s what he meant.’
Only now did Carlisle understand the meaning behind Guntram’s words.
– You should not have awakened. It would have been better if you had never woken up at all.
– You should not have awakened. It would have been better if you had never woken up at all.
No wonder he hadn’t shown his face since that day, acting as if he couldn’t stand the sight of me—those weren’t just words spoken out of hatred.
Right, let me hear the whole story first.
“What happened that day? Did I really kill someone?”
“As expected, you don’t remember. I wondered why you were acting so nonchalantly.”
“Tell me. What happened that day?”
“Young master, you were drunk and causing a disturbance when you cut down and killed a territory citizen. Afterward, fearing His Grace the Grand Duke’s severe punishment, you fled and fell from your horse, tumbling down a cliff. By great fortune, you were discovered by a search party and saved your life.”
“It’s hardly great fortune, is it?”
Carlisle absolutely could not agree with Maranello’s statement.
For a crime of this magnitude, it warranted a death sentence.
Moreover, Guntram was someone who would impose a death sentence without hesitation.
Even if it was his own son.
“Hmm.”
Clang――――――――!
The image of a severed head flying through the air with a whoosh flashed through his mind.
‘That would be rather troublesome.’
Of course, Carlisle had already experienced death once before, but that was due to an unexpected accident.
An accident and beheading felt entirely different, didn’t they?
‘Should I escape?’
It was a fleeting thought, but it wasn’t possible.
Unless Guntram knew and chose to turn a blind eye.
Perhaps the fact that a nighttime escape had been possible was because he had given him one chance to flee.
“This seems like big trouble. What should I do?”
Carlisle asked Maranello.
“To be honest… there’s no clear solution. Don’t you know? His Grace the Grand Duke has forgiven your countless acts of delinquency and debauchery until now.”
“Hmm.”
Until now, Carlisle had caused all sorts of incidents and accidents—theft, arson, drunken violence, assault—constantly troubling his father Guntram.
Guntram had tried appeasing him, scolding him, and even imposing harsh physical punishment, but it was all useless.
He would only be quiet for a while, but inevitably couldn’t change his nature and would return to his scoundrel ways.
As if that wasn’t enough, this time he had even committed murder, so Guntram’s patience must have reached its limit.
‘He was destined to die anyway.’
Whether he died falling off a cliff or was beheaded by his father Guntram, death was death all the same.
“Young master, even now, humble yourself and sincerely repent and beg for forgiveness during the trial. That’s the only way to survive.”
“Would that work?”
“That’s impossible to know.”
“Sigh.”
Hearing Maranello’s answer, Carlisle ran his hand through his hair as if exhausted.
* * *
That afternoon.
“Father is going to hold a trial.”
Selena, who had suddenly come to visit, advised the half-dazed Carlisle.
“Beg desperately that you were wrong. Swear that you’ll never do it again, that you’ll become a new person. Remember this. If you don’t do at least that much, you’ll be executed.”
“…I’ll remember.”
Following Selena, Frey, the protagonist character, also came to visit.
“Brother, this time it won’t be easy to get past this. If you don’t want to be executed, beg Father desperately. That’s the only way to survive.”
“…Right.”
Still, seeing them readily come to give sincere advice, there seemed to be at least some affection remaining.
But even so, it didn’t look like anything would change.
‘Begging won’t reduce the sentence.’
Carlisle viewed that possibility as very low.
Grand Duke Guntram, and furthermore House Sigmund, valued public sentiment as much as life itself.
The territory ruled by House Sigmund, the [Dekaron] domain, was located in the northern border region of the Nurburg Kingdom, an area where conflicts with barbarians had continued for ages.
In such a place, losing public sentiment was extremely fatal for a ruler.
If handled poorly, the territory citizens might collude with the barbarians, or in the worst case, cooperate with them entirely.
‘If I stay like this, I’ll lose my head. I need to come up with some plan.’
Carlisle decided to face reality coldly and devise a countermeasure.
Simply begging for forgiveness and hoping for Grand Duke Guntram’s mercy seemed impossible because the incident caused by the original owner of this body—the real Carlisle—was far too serious.
‘If I had committed it myself, at least I wouldn’t feel wronged. How impressive, causing trouble even when leaving?’
As Carlisle was thinking sarcastically about the real Carlisle, Maranello came with news about the trial date.
“Young master. The trial date has been set. A messenger will come soon to notify you of the trial date.”
“When is it?”
“One week from now.”
“That’s right around the corner.”
Carlisle frowned.
It was tight timing to find a way out.
“Young master, if I may be so bold, could this old man offer you some advice?”
“What advice?”
“When the trial is held, say that you will atone through military service. That seems to be the only way to reduce your sentence.”
“Enlist in the army?”
“Yes.”
“Military service…”
House Sigmund had traditionally considered it a virtue to fulfill their responsibilities and duties as nobles by taking the lead in wars against barbarians.
So Maranello’s advice was at least a realistic method.
“It’s not a bad approach.”
Even Carlisle thought it seemed like he ‘might’ receive a reduced sentence.
Though the possibility was low…
“Thanks for the advice.”
“Not at all…”
“But.”
Carlisle suddenly asked Maranello as if something had occurred to him.
“Why are you being so kind to me? I’m the world’s most notorious scoundrel.”
“Hehe.”
Maranello laughed.
“This old man doesn’t exactly view you favorably either, young master. Moreover, you’ve committed a grave crime this time.”
“….”
“However, this old man lacks the heart to watch the young master I’ve known since childhood die. I also don’t wish to see His Grace the Grand Duke’s hands stained with the blood of his own kin.”
“Mm.”
“So you must avoid execution at all costs, young master.”
Carlisle felt a sense of irony as he looked at Maranello, who was genuinely worried about him.
‘That bastard Carlisle is better than me. He even has someone who treats him this well. A scoundrel who even killed someone.’
Carlisle recalled his previous life and sneered as if finding it absurd, then looked back at Maranello.
“I’ll take your advice to heart. Thank you, Maranello.”
“Hehe.”
Maranello laughed.
Who knew how long it had been since words of gratitude had flowed from the scoundrel Carlisle’s lips.
Of course, he was currently in a situation where he might be executed by his father, Grand Duke Guntram’s hand…
“I understand for now. I’ll be thinking things over.”
“Yes, young master.”
* * *
After Maranello left and I was lost in thought for a while, a messenger appeared to deliver news about the trial.
“…Therefore, I hereby command Carlisle van Sigmund to appear at the trial to be held one week from now, and from this moment until the trial is held, you are placed under house arrest.”
“….”
As the trial I had only heard about in words approached as reality, action began to precede thought more than expected.
‘First, let me find out what happened that day.’
With that thought, Carlisle called for Maranello.
“I have just one favor to ask.”
“Please tell me, young master.”
“Can I see the case records? I really don’t remember anything at all. I need to know what happened to face the trial.”
“That shouldn’t be too difficult. Please wait a moment.”
“Thank you.”
Maranello was startled when words of gratitude came from Carlisle’s lips once again, but soon brought him the case records.
‘Hmm.’
Carlisle carefully examined the case records.
To summarize the contents, it was as follows:
1. Carlisle secretly snuck out of the castle at night and drank heavily at a tavern located in the Red Light District.
2. The intoxicated Carlisle caused a disturbance at the tavern, eventually drawing his sword and engaging in violence.
3. Fortunately, no one died at the tavern.
4. Carlisle barely stopped his violence due to those around him trying to restrain him, then staggered out of the tavern in his drunken state.
5. The next morning, Carlisle was found collapsed alongside the victim Alberto. From the circumstances, it seems certain that Carlisle killed Alberto with his sword and fell asleep while trying to dispose of the body.
6. There exists a witness who saw Carlisle kill Alberto.
1. Carlisle secretly snuck out of the castle at night and drank heavily at a tavern located in the Red Light District.
2. The intoxicated Carlisle caused a disturbance at the tavern, eventually drawing his sword and engaging in violence.
3. Fortunately, no one died at the tavern.
4. Carlisle barely stopped his violence due to those around him trying to restrain him, then staggered out of the tavern in his drunken state.
5. The next morning, Carlisle was found collapsed alongside the victim Alberto. From the circumstances, it seems certain that Carlisle killed Alberto with his sword and fell asleep while trying to dispose of the body.
6. There exists a witness who saw Carlisle kill Alberto.
1. Carlisle secretly snuck out of the castle at night and drank heavily at a tavern located in the Red Light District.
2. The intoxicated Carlisle caused a disturbance at the tavern, eventually drawing his sword and engaging in violence.
3. Fortunately, no one died at the tavern.
4. Carlisle barely stopped his violence due to those around him trying to restrain him, then staggered out of the tavern in his drunken state.
5. The next morning, Carlisle was found collapsed alongside the victim Alberto. From the circumstances, it seems certain that Carlisle killed Alberto with his sword and fell asleep while trying to dispose of the body.
6. There exists a witness who saw Carlisle kill Alberto.
1. Carlisle secretly snuck out of the castle at night and drank heavily at a tavern located in the Red Light District.
2. The intoxicated Carlisle caused a disturbance at the tavern, eventually drawing his sword and engaging in violence.
3. Fortunately, no one died at the tavern.
4. Carlisle barely stopped his violence due to those around him trying to restrain him, then staggered out of the tavern in his drunken state.
5. The next morning, Carlisle was found collapsed alongside the victim Alberto. From the circumstances, it seems certain that Carlisle killed Alberto with his sword and fell asleep while trying to dispose of the body.
6. There exists a witness who saw Carlisle kill Alberto.
1. Carlisle secretly snuck out of the castle at night and drank heavily at a tavern located in the Red Light District.
2. The intoxicated Carlisle caused a disturbance at the tavern, eventually drawing his sword and engaging in violence.
3. Fortunately, no one died at the tavern.
4. Carlisle barely stopped his violence due to those around him trying to restrain him, then staggered out of the tavern in his drunken state.
5. The next morning, Carlisle was found collapsed alongside the victim Alberto. From the circumstances, it seems certain that Carlisle killed Alberto with his sword and fell asleep while trying to dispose of the body.
6. There exists a witness who saw Carlisle kill Alberto.
‘This is completely inescapable, isn’t it?’
Carlisle squeezed his eyes shut as if fed up while examining the case records.
Still, since he had started reading it, he continued reading through the case records with the thought that he should finish it.
‘This looks familiar.’
Suddenly, there was a passage that caught Carlisle’s attention.
The witness’s name seemed somehow familiar.
‘Wait, who was Jeffrey again? Jeffrey, Jeffrey. It’s definitely a name I know. Ah?’
As he traced through his memories, there was information that flashed through his mind.
“Interesting.”
A sneer formed at the corner of Carlisle’s lips.
Carlisle’s narrowly opened eyes remained fixed on the case records, specifically on the witness’s name.
“What’s interesting, young master?”
Maranello frowned, showing a somewhat displeased expression.
What kind of thoughts must one live with to be able to say something is interesting while looking at case records about a murder you committed?
“The witness is quite problematic.”
“Pardon?”
“Just as I said. The witness isn’t a trustworthy person.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“Perhaps I didn’t kill him after all, this man named Alberto.”
Carlisle’s violet eyes sparkled.
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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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