How a Two-Life Scoundrel Lives - Chapter 74
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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 74】
“What’s happening!”
“Are you alright!”
Knights belonging to the Royal Guard came rushing in with a clatter! to assess the situation.
They had already been anxious about when the troublemaker might cause an incident, so when Evangeline’s scream echoed through the air, everyone looked more like they were thinking “here we go” rather than being surprised.
“Miss! Was Young Master Carlisle trying to do something terrible to you!”
One knight asked Evangeline.
“No.”
Evangeline frowned as if to say ‘what kind of nonsense is that,’ then pointed toward the window with trembling hands.
“The, the Young Master… the Young Master…”
“…?”
“He jumped out.”
“…!”
The startled knight hurriedly headed toward the window.
Fortunately, Carlisle’s room wasn’t located very high up, so even if he jumped out the window, the risk of dying from the fall was very low.
“Ah! Over there!”
Another knight pointed far into the distance at a rooftop.
Thud thud thud!
Carlisle was running across the rooftops.
“Young Master, Young Master!”
“Young Master! Where are you going!”
The knights shouted out, but Carlisle ran at full speed without looking back even once.
“Damn it!”
“This is an emergency!”
The knights’ faces turned pale.
“Damn it all! Issue an immediate alert! Report that the Young Master has escaped! Hurry!”
“Yes!”
Meanwhile, Evangeline was relieved to realize that Carlisle hadn’t suddenly made an extreme choice, but had simply run away because he didn’t want to meet Grand Duke Guntram.
‘That’s right. There’s no way the Young Master would suddenly jump out like that.’
However, the knights were in complete chaos as if a fire had been lit under their feet.
“Mobilize soldiers immediately to search for the Young Master. But make absolutely sure to warn them never to approach him closely. Understood?”
“Yes!”
The knights rushed out of Carlisle’s bedroom in a flurry.
From their perspective, Carlisle’s escape was a very serious matter.
In the past, every time Carlisle had left the castle, major incidents would occur…
* * *
Carlisle immediately left the inner castle and headed toward the commercial district in the outer castle.
‘Not a chance. He’s probably trying to make me do something troublesome again.’
Carlisle was prepared to do anything to escape from Grand Duke Guntram’s clutches.
Just sending him to certain death—the battlefield—was already infuriating enough, and he felt like the Grand Duke would just bother him with more annoying tasks, so he didn’t want to face him.
‘I should rebel a bit so he’ll bother me less. If I’m too obedient, he’ll just order me around even more.’
That was the reason for his escape.
‘I should hole up in some inn and just sleep. Come to think of it, that’s a good idea. Let me just hide away for a few days.’
On the way to a nearby inn.
“Gasp!”
“It’s, it’s Young Master Carlisle!”
“Everyone run!”
“Kyaaah!”
The territory residents who spotted Carlisle ran away as if a monster had appeared, crying “legs, save me!”
“Kuk.”
Carlisle let out a bitter laugh seeing how the bustling street had become completely empty in the blink of an eye.
It was a scene that showed just how severe Carlisle van Sigmund’s past misdeeds had been.
Of course, not everyone ran away from Carlisle.
“He’s, he’s handsome.”
“How can he be so handsome? Haah.”
A few young women, far from running away, stared at Carlisle in a daze.
They looked just like moths drawn to light.
Moths that rush toward flames without knowing they’ll burn to death.
“I think I understand the psychology of guys who like men.”
Even a large, middle-aged bald man admired Carlisle upon seeing him.
‘I should wear a hood when I go around. How is it that everyone knows me.’
It was natural for territory residents to recognize the son of their lord, Grand Duke Guntram, but Carlisle stood out far too much.
Without even needing to mention his past misdeeds, it was a side effect—or rather, not really a side effect—of naturally drawing attention from those around him because he was too handsome.
“Gasp!”
The clothing shop owner made an expression as if he’d seen a ghost the moment he spotted Carlisle.
“Give me a hooded cloak.”
“Excuse me…?”
“Didn’t you hear? I said give me a hooded cloak.”
“Ah, understood. What color would you like?”
“Something that doesn’t stand out.”
“The price range… understood. I’ll bring it right away.”
The clothing shop owner looked at Carlisle’s expression and quickly brought him a black hooded cloak.
“The material is…”
“Do, don’t you like it? I can bring you something else…”
“Forget it. I should expect what I can expect from such a trashy shop.”
Clink, Carlisle threw a few coins onto the shop floor.
‘That rude bastard! Throwing money on the floor? I gave him the best cloak in our shop!’
The clothing shop owner cursed Carlisle inwardly while trying to pick up the coins that had fallen on the floor, but then noticed something strange and was startled.
“Th, this is.”
Sparkle sparkle!
What Carlisle had thrown on the floor were none other than gold coins.
Counting them, there were as many as 11.
“Y, Young Master?”
“What.”
“This is too much…”
“What, is it too little?”
“No, no!”
The clothing shop owner frantically waved his hands.
“It’s too much, Young Master. This cloak only costs two gold coins. I’ll give you change for the rest…”
“Are you telling me to touch money that fell on the ground?”
“Th, that’s…”
“Forget it, just add it to your meager household funds. Running such a trashy shop, business must be bad and you’ll become a beggar soon anyway.”
Carlisle left those words behind and departed the clothing shop without any lingering attachment.
“That rude bast… I mean, no.”
The clothing shop owner was about to curse Carlisle but shut his mouth when he saw his palm full of gold coins.
“Should I be offended by this, or should I be happy about it…”
The clothing shop owner didn’t know what to do.
‘Ugh.’
Meanwhile, Carlisle shuddered as his first attempt at acting like a scoundrel didn’t suit his nature at all.
However, he needed to show that his rebellious spirit hadn’t died, even if it meant acting this way.
That way, Grand Duke Guntram would deal with him with the mindset of not bothering him or placing any expectations on him, just hoping he wouldn’t cause any trouble.
“One room. Give it to me.”
“How long will you be staying, sir?”
“I’m not really sure about that myself.”
“I’m sorry to say this, but lodging fees are paid in advance. If you plan to stay indefinitely, we’ll need a deposit…”
Thud, when Carlisle placed a few gold coins on the table, the inn owner’s attitude changed 180 degrees.
“Oh my, welcome! I’ll escort you to our finest guest room.”
He said it was the finest guest room, but the room was shabby beyond belief.
However, Carlisle didn’t make any complaints whatsoever.
He had deliberately chosen the shabbiest inn in case Grand Duke Guntram came looking for him.
The inn owner’s words were most likely true.
This guest room was probably the cleanest and most spacious one ‘at least’.
“Bring meals to the room when it’s time.”
“Yes, sir. How could there be any question about that? Haha.”
The inn owner seemed ready to give his liver and gallbladder, as if he hadn’t gotten his hands on gold coins in a long time.
Thump, Carlisle collapsed onto the hard, smelly bed.
Suddenly, he let out a chuckle.
“This place is more comfortable than my room.”
Carlisle muttered this and closed his eyes to catch up on his lack of sleep.
And before long, he fell into a deep sleep.
As Maranello had said, it seemed the battlefield had become more familiar to him in just two months.
* * *
“…So.”
Grand Duke Guntram looked at Maranello as if he couldn’t believe it.
“You’re saying that boy ran away? As soon as he received my summons?”
“I humbly report that it is so, Your Grace.”
Maranello squeezed his eyes shut as if it was difficult for him to say.
“What do you think is the reason?”
“Hmm.”
“It’s fine, so tell me.”
“It seems the second young master finds Your Grace burdensome.”
“Burdensome?”
“More precisely, it’s closer to refusing to receive any expectations from Your Grace whatsoever.”
“Refusing expectations…”
Grand Duke Guntram frowned.
“Have I ever burdened that boy?”
“How could that be possible?”
Maranello answered as if it was nonsense.
“Your Grace has never placed any expectations on the second young master. You merely hoped he would fulfill the minimum responsibilities and duties as a Sigmund. But the second young master’s thoughts seem to be different.”
“Do you have any idea why he thinks that way?”
“Hmm.”
Maranello thought for a moment before speaking.
“You must have already received the report, but the second young master has achieved great growth in just two months.”
“I honestly can’t believe it.”
Grand Duke Guntram’s eyes showed strong disbelief as he said this.
He couldn’t believe it.
That scoundrel, that problem child who had almost cut off his father’s arm, had achieved outstanding military accomplishments on the battlefield?
And as if that wasn’t enough, he had achieved Blood Mark Awakening?
Anyone who knew Carlisle’s past would never be able to believe such a thing.
“I’ll admit that boy has changed somewhat. But Blood Mark Awakening? You know well that Blood Mark Awakening isn’t something just anyone can do. I absolutely cannot believe it until I see it with my own eyes…”
“That’s not what’s important right now, Your Grace.”
“Hmm.”
“The second young master seems to be concerned that Your Grace’s position will change according to his growth.”
“…!”
“After all, isn’t it human psychology to have expectations when someone shows ability?”
“That would probably be the case. I won’t deny it.”
Grand Duke Guntram revealed his complicated feelings.
“As a father, I don’t want anything from that boy, and I don’t expect anything from him. I just wish for him to live healthily and happily. But the lord of Decaron is different. As the lord, I have no choice but to demand at least the minimum responsibilities and duties as a Sigmund.”
“How could I not understand?”
“It’s truly a terrible thing to do. Being the head of House Sigmund, the lord of Decaron. As a father, I can’t even see my child’s face freely when he comes out on his first leave.”
“Your Grace…”
“I understand what you’re saying. I’ll leave him alone for a few days. That boy will need his own time too.”
Maranello seemed to understand Grand Duke Guntram’s feelings and couldn’t bring himself to say anything.
Perhaps it was impossible for a good lord and a good father to coexist.
And that would be the weight that a lord must inevitably bear.
“Your Grace.”
“Speak.”
“If you’re going to ask something of the second young master, try making a proposal rather than giving an order.”
“A proposal…?”
“As you know, the second young master has a personality that greatly dislikes being coercive.”
“That’s certainly true. He’s the world’s most contrary person.”
“But if you coax him by promising some enticing reward rather than giving orders, he might be surprisingly obedient.”
“An enticing reward. But even if I want to propose a reward, the only things that boy likes are drinking, women, and gambling, aren’t they? As a father, I cannot provide entertainment to my son.”
Grand Duke Guntram spoke as if the very thought was unpleasant.
“Hehe.”
Maranello let out a hollow laugh.
“From what I’ve observed, the young master seems to have lost interest in drinking, women, and gambling.”
“That’s truly welcome news. But if he’s lost interest in drinking, women, and gambling, doesn’t that mean there’s nothing left that the boy likes? Then how can I make an enticing proposal? To a boy who likes nothing.”
“Isn’t that a problem Your Grace will have to think about yourself?”
“Ahem.”
Grand Duke Guntram made an expression as if just thinking about it gave him a headache.
“Well then, this old man will take his leave now.”
“Very well.”
After Maranello left.
“An enticing reward…”
Grand Duke Guntram continued to ponder for quite a while about something that might entice Carlisle.
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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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