How a Two-Life Scoundrel Lives - Chapter 24
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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 24】
Swoosh!
A black flash flickered, and the bloodied Carlisle who had been strangling him was nowhere to be seen.
“…Young Master.”
Instead, the figure of the elderly butler Maranello appeared.
However.
Drip drip…
Red blood was gushing down from Maranello’s shoulder blade.
“Maranello?”
Startled, Carlisle threw down Grimgand and approached Maranello.
Maranello seemed to have fortunately avoided a fatal wound, but he was in a state of having sustained a far from shallow injury.
“Are you okay?”
“Just now… what was that?”
Maranello himself seemed more shocked by something else entirely.
Even while bleeding profusely, Maranello’s gaze was fixed not on his own shoulder blade but on the thrown-down Grimgand.
“I asked if you’re okay.”
“I am fine.”
Maranello skillfully pressed the wound area to stop the bleeding, showing a calm demeanor as if accustomed to injuries.
As if it wasn’t for nothing that he was called the Grim Reaper of the North…
“By the way, were you having a nightmare?”
“Huh?”
“That thing…”
According to Maranello, Carlisle had been breaking out in cold sweat and thrashing about violently as if having a nightmare.
He couldn’t just leave him be, so he approached to wake him up for a moment, when Carlisle suddenly swung his sword and injured him.
‘It was a nightmare.’
Only then did Carlisle realize that he had been having a nightmare about the real Carlisle.
It was so vivid that he couldn’t distinguish whether it was a dream or reality, but hearing Maranello’s words, it seemed right that he had been having a nightmare.
“Thank goodness.”
“What is?”
“If it had been an ordinary servant or maid instead of this old man, someone would have died tonight.”
“Ah.”
“Could you help me a bit?”
“Of course.”
Maranello took off his upper garment.
Though his skin had lost some elasticity due to age, it revealed a muscular upper body that was no less impressive than those of young knights.
Carlisle helped Maranello pour potion on the wound area, stitch it with a needle, and wrap it with bandages.
“Please be gentle, Young Master.”
“…Stop whining.”
After the treatment was finished.
“It will be uncomfortable for about two weeks, but there shouldn’t be any major aftereffects.”
“That’s a relief.”
“That’s true, but what kind of nightmare were you having that you swung a sword while sleeping?”
“…I don’t remember.”
Carlisle couldn’t bring himself to talk about the content of the nightmare.
How could he say that he saw the evil spirit of the real owner of this body, that is, Carlisle van Sigmund?
“Then what about that sword?”
“…”
“Black flash… it created the illusion that the blade was made of shadows.”
“You must have seen wrong because it was dark.”
“This old man may be aged, but presbyopia hasn’t set in yet. Hehe.”
“It’s just a rusted sword with all its teeth worn out.”
“Then is it Young Master’s ability?”
“No way.”
Carlisle stubbornly denied it to the end, playing dumb.
“Hmm.”
Maranello narrowed his eyes and sent a gaze as if interrogating him, but Carlisle never spoke about Grimgand until the very end.
‘Sorry, but I have no choice.’
The secret about Grimgand had to be thoroughly kept.
At least until the moment the Royal Family’s secret was revealed…
“For the time being, please store your sword properly when you sleep, Young Master. I’m worried someone might get hurt or even die.”
“Yeah, I will.”
Carlisle listened to Maranello’s advice and picked up Grimgand that had fallen on the floor, storing it properly on the weapon stand.
“Then, please sleep. The night has grown quite late.”
“Alright.”
Even after Maranello left, Carlisle couldn’t easily fall asleep.
– Give it back… my body… give it back I say… Kihihi!
When he closed his eyes, that demonic appearance of the real Carlisle would come to mind, and it seemed like his blood-curdling growls could be heard in his ears.
But that was only for a moment.
“…I think I’m better than you though.”
Carlisle muttered that and closed his eyes.
* * *
The next morning.
“Young Master, His Grace the Grand Duke is calling for you.”
“From this early?”
“The sun is at its zenith.”
Perhaps due to losing sleep from last night’s incident, the time Carlisle woke up was well past lunchtime.
“I’m tired. I barely slept.”
“Won’t you go when Father is calling?”
“I have to go.”
Honestly, he didn’t want to go, but Carlisle decided to humor Grand Duke Guntram for the time being.
He was already on bad terms, and he didn’t want to be assigned to the front lines by earning more disfavor.
“How’s your body?”
“Uncomfortable, but recovering quickly.”
“Then that’s good.”
Saying that, Carlisle immediately went to meet his father, Grand Duke Guntram.
There, not only Grand Duke Guntram but also the Watcher who had attended Carlisle’s commissioning ceremony yesterday, and even Evangeline were seated together.
“Why are you here?”
“…Well.”
At Carlisle’s question, Evangeline hung her head low and trailed off.
“If you’ve come, shouldn’t you greet first?”
“You called for me.”
Carlisle answered Grand Duke Guntram’s sharp retort like that, then urged Evangeline again.
“I asked you, why are you here?”
“…”
When Evangeline couldn’t easily answer, Carlisle turned to look at Grand Duke Guntram.
“Why did you call for her?”
“There was a summons from the Royal Family.”
“A summons from the Royal Family… Ah.”
A cold smile appeared on Carlisle’s face.
‘Of course. Those rat bastards wouldn’t just sit still.’
Dekaron, the territory of House Sigmund, was crawling with not only spies planted by hostile families, but also informants who served as the Royal Family’s eyes and ears everywhere.
Even some of the knights were secretly communicating with the Royal Family, so news of a spirit mage named Evangeline appearing would have certainly reached them.
A spirit mage who had contracted with an earth spirit was no exaggeration to call a strategic asset in itself, so it was natural for the Royal Family to covet her.
“The Royal Family has proposed sending this child to the capital for education.”
“I’m sure they did.”
Carlisle nodded as if he understood.
“Carlisle van Sigmund. This is a good opportunity for that child. If she studies in the capital, she’ll receive better quality education and…”
“I don’t like it.”
Carlisle cut off the Watcher’s words.
“What did you just say, Carlisle van Sigmund?”
“I said I don’t like it.”
“You’re rejecting the Royal Family’s proposal…”
“Yes, I’ll decline it.”
“…”
The Watcher was so dumbfounded that he lost his words.
The Royal Family’s commands were absolute.
Though it wasn’t mandatory, not a single family had seen good results from opposing the Royal Family in the past hundreds of years.
No matter how much of a scoundrel he was, to reject the Royal Family’s proposal—which was actually a command—so decisively…
“That wouldn’t be a very good choice, would it?”
“Are you saying you’ll take her by force?”
“If necessary.”
A chill began to flow between Carlisle and the Watcher.
“You, do you want to go? If you want to go, I’ll send you.”
“…No.”
Evangeline also clearly expressed that she didn’t want to go to the capital.
In the end, the Watcher sought help from Grand Duke Guntram.
“It seems the young master doesn’t want to send Miss Evangeline.”
“That child is my son’s maid, so I have no authority over her.”
“His Majesty the King will be disappointed.”
“If I had the authority, I would have gladly accepted the Royal Family’s proposal.”
“Then do you intend to prevent us from taking her by force?”
“That too is solely my son’s right. I cannot interfere.”
When Grand Duke Guntram answered, the Watcher turned to look at Carlisle.
“Did you hear that? Even if I take that child by force, Grand Duke Guntram won’t be able to help you.”
“Ah, so you’re going to take her by force.”
“Didn’t I say it was for that child’s sake?”
“Fine.”
Carlisle nodded as if he understood.
“Then, take her.”
“Now you’re making sense.”
“However… I never said I’d send her alive.”
Carlisle quietly drew Grimgand and brought it near Evangeline’s neck as he spoke.
Gasp!
Startled Evangeline trembled.
“Wh-what are you doing?”
“As you can see.”
To the shocked Watcher’s question, Carlisle replied with a twisted smile.
“She’s my property, so I won’t send her anywhere. If I have to send her, it’ll only be as a corpse.”
“Hah.”
“I can give you a corpse anytime, so try taking one. By force.”
“This crazy bastard.”
The Watcher’s face looking at Carlisle showed an expression of ‘what kind of person is this?’
Not only did he reject the Royal Family’s proposal, but now he was threatening to kill his maid…
“Do you think you can get away with this? Carlisle van Sigmund?”
“I’m willing to be loyal to the Royal Family, but I don’t want to have my personal maid taken away.”
“Th-that’s…”
“If the Royal Family needs her abilities, I can help, but I can’t send her away.”
Faced with Carlisle’s firm attitude, the Watcher couldn’t continue speaking.
He was merely a messenger conveying the Royal Family’s will and didn’t have decision-making authority.
“I understand your position for now. However, all the words and actions you’ve shown me will be reported to the Royal Family.”
“Go ahead. That’s your job.”
Carlisle answered with a sneer.
‘What are they going to do if I won’t send her? They must already be frantic since their prophetic ability disappeared.’
In Carlisle’s judgment, it was no exaggeration to say there would be no retaliation from the Royal Family over this matter.
House Sigmund was a family that served as the guardian protecting the entire kingdom from the barbarians.
From the Royal Family’s perspective, creating conflict with House Sigmund at this time would be a truly foolish choice.
No matter how much of a strategic asset a spirit mage was, the relationship with House Sigmund was far more important.
* * *
After the Watcher withdrew.
“What on earth are you thinking?”
“About what?”
“Even you should know that the Watcher is the Royal Family’s representative.”
“I guess I don’t know.”
Carlisle answered indifferently to Grand Duke Guntram’s question.
“How about just sending her?”
“I’d rather die.”
“Ahem.”
Grand Duke Guntram showed a tired expression.
With a large-scale barbarian invasion imminent within a few years, having an uncomfortable relationship with the Royal Family wasn’t what he wanted either.
But he couldn’t forcibly take away Evangeline, who was a personal maid.
“Let’s wait for the Royal Family’s response for now. However, if the Royal Family doesn’t back down, then even I won’t be able to do anything.”
“Didn’t you say earlier that you had no authority?”
“Sometimes this becomes authority too.”
Grand Duke Guntram pointed to the sword hanging at his waist.
“So it comes down to force in the end?”
“You understand quickly.”
Grand Duke Guntram showed a somewhat satisfied expression.
“It’s not my preferred method, but if necessary, that’s what we’ll have to do.”
“I’ll keep that in mind. Then I’ll…”
“You may go.”
“Did you hear? Let’s go.”
Carlisle grabbed Evangeline’s wrist and pulled her along.
On the way back.
Carlisle and Evangeline remained silent for a while.
It was Evangeline who broke the silence.
“Um, Young Master.”
“If you felt bad about it, I’m sorry, but I had no choice. If I hadn’t done that, the Watcher wouldn’t have backed down either.”
“No.”
Evangeline shook her head.
“I didn’t feel bad about it at all.”
“Why?”
Carlisle frowned.
Evangeline had every right to feel upset.
Just moments ago, Carlisle had clearly treated her like an object, or rather, like livestock.
“I didn’t want to go either.”
“If you went to the Capital and became one of the Royal Family’s people, you’d receive much better treatment, wouldn’t you?”
“Even so, I don’t want to go.”
“The reason is.”
“Because I’m a person of the Northern Region.”
“Hmm.”
Hearing Evangeline’s answer, Carlisle felt as if he’d been struck in the head with a hammer.
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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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