How a Two-Life Scoundrel Lives - Chapter 25

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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 25】

‘Northerner, northerner.’

That word was more strongly embedded in Carlisle’s mind than anything else, and remained embedded there.

Northerner.

Literally meaning people who live in the north, here it referred to the people of Decaron.

The Nurburg Kingdom was not a nation composed of a single ethnic group, but a united kingdom – an alliance of thirteen families centered around the royal family.

As such, the people also held stronger loyalty to the territories ruled by each family rather than to the kingdom itself.

Among them, the people of Decaron, the territory ruled by House Sigmund, called themselves ‘Northerners’ and displayed stronger loyalty than people from other regions.

The reason was simple.

Decaron possessed vast and fertile territory, but it was a land that never had a peaceful day due to wars with the barbarians.

The Northerners were strong people who had protected their homeland by writing a bloody history with the barbarians for hundreds of years, centered around House Sigmund.

They were accustomed to fighting against barbarians from childhood, and once they reached adulthood, they willingly enlisted in the military without hesitation to protect their families from the barbarians.

Evangeline was also a Northerner to her bones, which was why she didn’t want to leave Decaron no matter what good conditions the royal family offered.

This was the reason she could remain completely unbothered even when Carlisle threatened not to let her leave alive – treatment that some might consider being treated like property or livestock.

“Northerner… what is a Northerner?”

“Pardon?”

“Just curious.”

“Young Master, you’re also a Northerner.”

“Well.”

Carlisle let out a bitter smile at Evangeline’s response.

‘How would I know? I’m not a Northerner.’

Carlisle knew the characteristics of Northerners all too well from playing the game [Overlord].

Basically, Northerners were a people with strong physical strength and mental fortitude, as well as excellent pride and loyalty to Decaron.

However, even though he understood it intellectually, since Carlisle had never lived as a Northerner, he couldn’t understand their values.

‘Even you?’

Searching his memories, even that scoundrel, the real Carlisle, considered himself a Northerner and held great pride and dignity in it…

“Honestly, I don’t really understand this Northerner business or whatever. I just don’t want to lose you to the royal family.”

“Pardon?”

Evangeline’s eyes widened like a startled rabbit.

“Th-those words…”

“You’re someone who contracted with an earth spirit. Your value is enormous.”

“…Ah.”

Evangeline lowered her head awkwardly with an expression that said ‘of course.’

“What’s with that reaction?”

“It’s nothing.”

“Anyway, I have no intention of sending you away. You’re my property.”

“What if the royal family tries to take me by force? Really…”

“Don’t worry, I won’t send your corpse.”

“Yes.”

“Um, Young Master.”

“What now?”

“Aren’t you afraid of the royal family?”

“Yeah.”

“Y-Young Master! Don’t say such things! The royal family is, the royal family is…”

“What can they do to me? Just watch. It’ll pass without incident.”

Carlisle chuckled as he spoke, then entered his room and slammed the door shut, regardless of whatever the startled Evangeline was trying to say.

He immediately lay down on the bed and closed his eyes with the most comfortable expression in the world.

Right now, Carlisle’s mind was filled only with thoughts of catching up on his lacking sleep.

* * *

The Watcher sent a messenger to the capital to report on Carlisle’s commissioning ceremony and waited for a response regarding Evangeline.

He reported Carlisle’s intention that Evangeline could absolutely not be sent away, and waited for the royal family’s response.

The messenger immediately went to the capital and submitted the Watcher’s report, which was soon delivered to Crown Prince Gordon von Oracle.

“Carlisle van Sigmund…”

Currently, Crown Prince Gordon had not yet held his coronation ceremony, but was handling state affairs in place of the king under the pretext of successor training.

“They say he’s the scoundrel of the north, and he truly is a hopeless fellow.”

Instead of getting angry, Crown Prince Gordon let out a laugh as if he found it absurd.

No matter how much of a reckless fool who couldn’t tell heaven from earth he was, who would have expected him to reject the royal family’s proposal in such a manner?

Moreover, to even threaten to kill the spirit contractor who had made a contract with an earth spirit in front of the Watcher?

It was something only a truly insane person would dare to attempt.

Well, that’s probably why he was notorious as the scoundrel of the north.

‘Should I make him pay the price for offending the royal family?’

At any other time, he wouldn’t have hesitated, but this time was different.

‘No. The timing is sensitive. Creating an uncomfortable relationship with House Sigmund now would be troublesome.’

With a large-scale barbarian invasion imminent, building close relations with House Sigmund was an unavoidable situation.

Moreover, House Sigmund was already very displeased due to the incident caused by the Loren Family a few months ago.

Of course, the Loren Family vehemently denied the facts as if it were natural, but everyone knew that was nothing but a blatant lie.

‘It seems best to let this matter slide. With the Loren Family incident and all, this time I should show favor to House Sigmund.’

The royal dynasty of a united kingdom could not rule by force alone.

Sometimes they had to show tolerance and know how to mediate disputes between vassals.

Of course, the power the royal family had built up over hundreds of years was sufficient to subdue the other families by force.

However, as long as the barbarians beyond the border remained, the royal family could neither completely antagonize the other twelve families nor let them fight each other and allow civil war to break out.

“Tell House Sigmund, tell the family head Guntram.”

“Please command.”

“Since Carlisle van Sigmund is so stubborn, the royal family will respect his wishes and withdraw the proposal. Also, the dispute with the Loren Family will be mediated by the royal family to a satisfactory level, so armed conflict will not be permitted.”

“Yes, Your Highness the Crown Prince.”

Thus, Crown Prince Gordon simply concluded this incident.

Without a doubt, this incident would not lead to the other twelve families daring to look down on the royal family.

Why?

Because in their eyes, it would appear that the royal family had shown mercy – a kind of reward for loyalty.

* * *

About a month later.

“The royal family respects your wishes, Carlisle van Sigmund, and withdraws the proposal. However, when the royal family makes requests, we hope for active cooperation.”

Carlisle heard the royal family’s intentions from the Watcher.

“Yes, well. Sure.”

“That’s… it?”

“What more is needed?”

“…”

The Watcher squeezed his eyes shut at Carlisle’s response.

What kind of person was he exactly – his attitude showed not a trace of fear or reverence toward the royal family.

“Well then, good work.”

Carlisle didn’t even give the Watcher time to say anything more, and turned around and disappeared as if there was nothing more to see.

“Wa-wait a min… no, never mind.”

The Watcher stopped trying to call Carlisle back, finding it absurd.

As long as Carlisle didn’t openly insult the Royal Family, there was realistically nothing the Watcher could do about it.

‘Getting angry would only be a loss for me.’

His opponent was a scoundrel that even the head of House Sigmund had reportedly given up on.

A scoundrel had simply acted like a scoundrel, and getting angry at that would only make him look foolish.

‘I’ve completed my mission, so I should return quickly.’

The Watcher decided to leave Dekaron immediately, and with that, both the commissioning ceremony matter and Evangeline’s matter were concluded.

A few days later.

“Oh, right.”

Carlisle casually said to Evangeline, who was pouring him tea.

“You don’t have to go. The Watcher told me a few days ago that the Royal Family withdrew their proposal.”

“…You’re telling me such important news now?”

“I forgot.”

“…”

Evangeline made a dumbfounded expression upon hearing Carlisle’s answer.

Far from telling her such important news quickly, he had forgotten about it…

Meanwhile, Evangeline herself had been anxious every day, thinking she might be dragged off to the capital.

“You don’t need to make that expression. Whether you heard it early or now, the result wouldn’t have changed.”

“But…”

“What.”

“Oh, it’s nothing.”

“It’s fine, so tell me.”

“I just thought that if you had told me a little earlier, I could have put my mind at ease sooner.”

“Ah. Now that you mention it, you’re right. I’ll keep that in mind next time.”

Evangeline squeezed her eyes shut as she watched Carlisle scratch the back of his head as if he hadn’t thought of that.

Right, I should have expectations of someone worth having expectations of…

Maranello, who had been smiling bitterly at Carlisle and Evangeline’s conversation, spoke up.

“Young Master, the Grand Duke will probably send an official document around this evening.”

“What?”

Carlisle stopped drinking his tea and scowled deeply.

If there was something that would make Grand Duke Guntram send an official document to his son Carlisle, it would be…

“It seems he won’t be satisfied until he finally sends me to where the barbarians are swarming.”

“Young Master, what parent would want to send their child to a battlefield?”

“Wasn’t that the case?”

The reason Carlisle said that was because such was the family tradition of House Sigmund.

Training in swordsmanship from childhood, becoming a knight upon reaching adulthood and heading to the battlefield, fighting against the barbarians.

Wasn’t that the destiny of the Sigmunds?

“No parent wants to send their child to a battlefield, Young Master. It’s simply that this is the destiny given to those born and raised on this land.”

“So it’s because we’re northerners, in the end.”

“Young Master is also a northerner, so don’t you understand this better than anyone?”

“Mm.”

“This old man hopes that Young Master will not misunderstand His Grace the Grand Duke, your father.”

“I understand, so stop nagging.”

Carlisle cut him off sharply, worried that Maranello’s nagging might go on longer, and put down his fork.

He had been trying to eat a piece of cake while drinking tea, but thinking about going beyond the border where barbarians were swarming made him lose his appetite completely.

“Surely he won’t send me somewhere dangerous?”

“Unfortunately, there are no safe places beyond the border, Young Master.”

“…”

Carlisle squeezed his eyes shut upon hearing Maranello’s words, but he didn’t despair.

“Well, if he has any sense, he wouldn’t send a scoundrel like me to a truly dangerous place. It would only cause trouble.”

“Hehe.”

“Surely he wouldn’t drive his own son into a death trap?”

Carlisle said this and decided to put his mind at ease.

That evening.

Grand Duke Guntram sent an official document through a messenger, and Carlisle learned where he would be sent.

“…He wants me to go here?”

Carlisle doubted his own eyes.

The deployment area written in the official document seemed somehow wrong.

It was a place consisting of rugged mountainous terrain and vast forest landscapes, where hundreds of small fortresses were densely packed.

It was also a region where small-scale skirmishes occurred everywhere, to the extent that there wasn’t a single day in the 365 days of the year when combat ceased.

A place called the [Blood-Soaked Land] because there wasn’t a day when blood would dry.

While it was common for fortress ownership to change several times a day, it was a cursed battlefield where no one in history had ever completely controlled this region.

Since there hadn’t been a large-scale barbarian invasion yet, this was undoubtedly the most perilous place during this period.

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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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