How a Two-Life Scoundrel Lives - Chapter 8

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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 8】

When they had almost reached the castle.

“Young master.”

“Speak.”

“Then, shouldn’t we at least give His Grace the Grand Duke a hint…?”

“Don’t.”

Carlisle shook his head.

“How can you say not to? His Grace the Grand Duke must be suffering greatly as well…”

“Just in case.”

“In case of what, young master?”

“If you think carefully about those bastards’ conversation, you’ll find the answer. What was the reason Alberto was being chased by them?”

“There are certainly more than a few suspicious aspects.”

“There’s something there. My gut feeling is that they’re like rats. What do you think, Maranello?”

“Considering they manipulated the crime scene and had memory erasing drugs, your words seem correct, young master.”

“If this story were to leak out, those bastards might find out first and flee. They might even attempt to cut off loose ends.”

“You’re concerned there might be spies within the territory.”

“Just the territory?”

“Pardon?”

“How can you be certain there are no spies within the family?”

“That’s too much of a leap. I can say with certainty that within House Sigmund, there are no spies…”

Carlisle barely held back from responding with “Why not?”

“That’s why I said ‘just in case.'”

“I understand.”

“So keep quiet about it. It’ll all be revealed at the trial anyway, so don’t stir up unnecessary trouble.”

“Yes, young master.”

“Do you have a few knights who can move separately?”

“Yes.”

“Jeffrey will have to attend the trial as a witness anyway, so keep a close watch on the other two. If father moves directly, information might leak out.”

“Understood.”

“Also, secretly protect the spirit mage. If something happens and they can’t attend the trial, only I’ll be in trouble.”

“Don’t worry about it, young master.”

“Good.”

Maranello quietly followed behind Carlisle, lost in thought.

‘He’s certainly changed beyond recognition. The young master I know was incapable of such logical thinking. To say it’s because he nearly died… surely not.’

Maranello cast a suspicious glance at Carlisle’s retreating figure.

‘Could it be that the young master… has been deliberately acting like a scoundrel all this time?’

It was a reasonably logical assumption.

Even in their earlier conversation, hadn’t Carlisle raised the possibility that Jeffrey’s group might be spies?

Moreover, he had even advised against informing his father, Grand Duke Guntram, about the truth of the incident, fearing that those bastards might attempt to cut off loose ends.

This meant it was possible to speculate that Carlisle might have known about the existence of spies beforehand.

If that were the case…

If it really were true…

‘Did he deliberately act like a scoundrel after recognizing that there were spies of hostile forces within the territory, even within the family? After sensing a great threat?’

Maranello thought that might indeed be the case.

Otherwise, it would be impossible for someone who had been indulging in all sorts of misdeeds for years, immersed only in alcohol, gambling, women, and other pleasures, to display such cleverness.

“Um, young master.”

Maranello cautiously spoke up.

“May this old man ask you just one thing?”

“No.”

“…”

“If you’re a butler, act like a butler. Don’t go around asking unnecessary questions. It’s bothersome to answer.”

Carlisle firmly drew the line.

His manner of speaking was unmistakably that of a scoundrel, but the nuance contained in his tone was completely different from before.

If previously his words were filled with irritation and petulance, now it felt like he was taking the initiative to prevent being bothered?

Perhaps because of this, Carlisle’s words didn’t sound unpleasant at all.

Of course, this might be because Maranello knew Carlisle well…

Rather, such aspects only fueled Maranello’s suspicions.

‘Young master, why did you choose to bear such infamy?’

Just as Maranello’s misunderstanding about Carlisle was deepening.

“Search every nook and cranny!”

“Find the criminal! He couldn’t have gone far!”

“Woof woof! Woof woof woof!”

In the distance, they could see a group of soldiers searching here and there with military dogs.

“Hmm. Looks like we’ve been caught.”

“So it seems. Hehe.”

Soon the soldiers came running over in a group, surrounding Carlisle and Maranello and pointing their spears at them.

* * *

Carlisle and Maranello were not flustered at all.

Since they had already finished their business outside the castle, being caught now wouldn’t change anything.

“Bind the criminals.”

A middle-aged knight commanded the soldiers.

His name was Rebesk van Sigmund, Carlisle’s uncle-in-law.

The reason he bore the Sigmund surname despite being an uncle-in-law was because he was from a fallen lower noble family and was a son-in-law who married into the family.

Therefore, he couldn’t use his original surname and had to take his wife Medea’s surname.

“What are you doing? I said to bind the criminals.”

Rebesk gave the order again, but the soldiers only hesitated and couldn’t move rashly.

Why?

Because of who they were dealing with.

While Carlisle might be a criminal, Maranello was someone they couldn’t carelessly touch.

It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that no soldier had the guts to put handcuffs on the legendary knight known as the Grim Reaper of the North.

“You bastards truly seem to have a death wish.”

Rebesk showed his anger and raised his signature weapon, a two-handed hammer.

“Insubordination to a superior’s orders will result in summary execution according to military law…”

“Sir Rebesk.”

Maranello stepped forward.

“Please calm your anger for now and listen to what this old man has to say.”

“…Sir Maranello.”

“‘Sir’ is hardly appropriate. Right now, I’m merely an old butler. Hehe.”

“…”

Like anyone would, Rebesk held deep respect for Maranello, so he couldn’t bring himself to continue his anger.

“Sir Rebesk must have judged that the young master fled before his trial.”

“A criminal facing trial has left his designated area. That alone is grounds to consider it an escape, is it not?”

“Yes, you speak correctly. However, the young master has not fled. He simply seemed stifled being confined to his room, so this old man took him out for a walk.”

“A walk, you say? Are you asking me to believe that now, Sir Maranello?”

Rebesk frowned as if asking who he took for a fool.

“If the young master had truly intended to flee, it wouldn’t make sense for him to be here. Ask the knights who were guarding the door. It’s already been over two hours, Sir Levesque.”

“Is that really true?”

“Of course, how could there be any doubt? How could I possibly tell lies to Sir Levesque?”

“Hmm.”

“Of course, breaking house arrest means disobeying His Grace the Grand Duke’s orders, so this old man must personally visit him and beg for forgiveness. So please, Sir Levesque, calm your anger and put away your weapons. Perhaps it’s because this old man has grown senile, but nowadays even the sight of metal makes my heart race.”

Carlisle watched Maranello slyly pacifying his uncle and inwardly scoffed.

‘Heart racing, my foot. He could knock down uncle in an instant.’

While there was no doubt that Levesque was an excellent knight, he was certainly not at a level to match Maranello.

“If Sir Maranello says so, then it must be true. Everyone, lower your weapons.”

“Yes, Captain.”

“And…”

Levesque cast a cold glare toward his subordinate soldiers.

“When we return, I will punish you all severely according to military law, so keep that in mind.”

“…”

The soldiers’ faces turned deathly pale.

Since Levesque was famous for his inflexibility, the punishment for insubordination would certainly not be light.

“Instead, I will personally escort Carlisle to his room, Sir Maranello.”

“Of course you should. Tsk tsk.”

And so Carlisle returned to the castle under the escort—surveillance—of Levesque and the soldiers under his command.

* * *

Immediately after arriving at his room.

“Young master, I will go see His Grace the Grand Duke.”

“Do that.”

After Maranello disappeared.

“You act selfishly to the very end.”

Levesque spoke to Carlisle in a cold tone.

“Do you think laws and rules don’t matter, that you don’t need to follow them?”

“…”

Carlisle didn’t bother to answer.

Levesque had tremendous inferiority complex about his humble origins and being a son-in-law who married into the family, and was famous for being narrow-minded.

Moreover, he was the representative figure who constantly clashed and growled at the real Carlisle over every little thing, so bad feelings had accumulated between them to the limit.

So for Carlisle, it was too tiresome to even respond.

“No answer? Why don’t you talk back to your uncle like you usually do?”

“…”

“Don’t tell me.”

When Carlisle stared at him blankly, Levesque’s eyes flashed with anger.

“Are you blatantly ignoring this uncle? Because I’m from a lowly family and married into yours?”

“That’s not it.”

“Ha! That’s not it? Someone who claims it’s not like that won’t even respond when your uncle is speaking?”

“I told you that’s not it.”

“Not it, my foot, what’s not…”

“I told you it’s not like that, but if you still think so, then there’s nothing I can do.”

“You really!”

Levesque shouted angrily.

“You’re insufferably arrogant to the end. Fine, I’ll wait just two days. In two days, you’ll pay dearly for all the debauchery you’ve committed…”

“It’s late, so go to sleep.”

Bang!

Carlisle slammed the door shut.

“You insolent brat! If this isn’t disrespecting your uncle, then…”

And so on and so forth.

Levesque shouted loudly outside the door, but Carlisle just left him alone.

He would eventually tire himself out and leave, so there was no need to get into a scuffle with Levesque.

And that thought was correct.

About five minutes passed?

“Fine! Let’s see about this! Whether bloody tears flow from your eyes or not!”

After hearing that furious shout, the thudding sound of Levesque’s footsteps faded away.

‘Ugh. How tiresome.’

Carlisle rolled up in his blanket and tried to sleep.

‘But why isn’t that woman showing herself? It’s making me anxious.’

Perhaps because of his encounter with Levesque, Carlisle thought of his aunt Medea.

For some reason, it was strange that she hadn’t shown even a glimpse of herself despite the trial being right around the corner.

His aunt Medea, Levesque, and his second cousins.

That family was hostile not only to Carlisle but also to Selena and Frey.

Especially his aunt Medea was a tremendous schemer who was desperate to take control of House Sigmund.

Such a person hearing news of Carlisle’s trial and staying quiet?

Normally, she would have rushed over like a shot to mock, ridicule, and taunt him, saying it served him right.

‘Is she not in the territory right now?’

Carlisle thought that might be possible and closed his eyes.

* * *

Two days later.

The day of the trial had arrived.

“The collar is too tight.”

“Please bear with it. You can’t exactly go in a shirt.”

Carlisle was getting help from Maranello to put on his formal dress to attend the trial.

“Young master, your aunt has arrived.”

The knight guarding outside the door reported to Carlisle.

“Tell her no.”

“Pardon?”

“Are you deaf? I said I won’t see her.”

“B-but…”

Just as the knight was hesitating, not knowing what to do.

“How insolent of you.”

Medea pushed through the door and glared with those venomous eyes of hers.

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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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