How a Two-Life Scoundrel Lives - Chapter 81
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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 81】
The ancient demon Gorgonne met such a futile end.
The true nature of Maranello, the Northern Reaper, was so powerful that he could behead even an ancient demon in a single strike.
“…Incredible.”
Carlisle felt overwhelmed by Maranello’s strength.
On the other hand, he could also sense just how powerful their enemies were.
Even Maranello, who possessed such might, had not been able to completely subjugate the barbarians beyond the border.
And it wasn’t just Maranello.
Selena, who possessed tremendous power, was also active on the front lines beyond the border, and Grand Duke Guntram, said to be the continent’s strongest, was the same.
The barbarians are strong.
Among them, there are powerful warriors who can match even Maranello, Selena, and Grand Duke Guntram.
House Sigmund and the United Kingdom hadn’t been fighting the barbarians for hundreds of years for nothing.
All the barbarian warriors and wars that Carlisle had experienced so far were nothing more than child’s play.
If he went to a real battlefield, there was no guarantee he wouldn’t encounter a powerful warrior like Maranello.
‘Just how strong do I need to become? And how much more effort will I need to put in to become that strong?’
Carlisle couldn’t even begin to grasp it.
He was at the point where he wanted to just save up some money and flee to some remote corner of the continent.
But as long as he was born a Sigmund, that was impossible.
If he selfishly pursued only his personal survival, he could live a life of luxury and comfort, but even that wouldn’t be safe.
‘Why did it have to be Sigmund of all things?’
Just as Carlisle was grumbling inwardly.
Crack, crackle!
The dwarf statues began awakening one by one.
With Gorgonne’s death, the magic seemed to be breaking, returning them to their original forms.
“Hmm?”
“What happened?”
The awakened dwarves couldn’t quite grasp the situation and looked bewildered.
“Th-that!”
“Gasp!”
The dwarves discovered the corpses of snakes scattered around and Gorgonne’s dismembered body, and were greatly shocked.
From their perspective, having been turned to stone by Gorgonne’s magic for hundreds of years and just awakening, it was natural for them to be confused.
“Who are you people?”
An old dwarf with a white beard grown down to his navel spoke to them.
“We’re an investigation team from Dekaron. This is Young Master Carlisle van Sigmund, his maid Evangeline, and soldiers.”
“Dekaron? Sigmund? I’ve never heard of them.”
“So much time has passed that it’s understandable you wouldn’t know.”
Maranello roughly explained the history of Dekaron to the old dwarf.
“Good heavens. Then, 500 years have passed?”
“From what you’ve told us, it seems so.”
“Un-unbelievable. We’ve been sleeping as statues for 500 years…”
“But you’ve returned, so isn’t that what matters?”
Maranello smiled.
“Then, that demon…”
“Young Master Carlisle van Sigmund here defeated it.”
Maranello pointed to Carlisle as he spoke.
“…Me?”
Carlisle pointed to himself, looking bewildered.
Wink!
Maranello winked as if telling him not to say anything, then spoke to the old dwarf.
“Let me introduce him properly. This is Young Master Carlisle van Sigmund. He is the second son of Grand Duke Guntram, the lord of Dekaron.”
“I, Borodin, as the chief of the Fire Hammer tribe, express infinite gratitude to you.”
The old dwarf bowed his head toward Carlisle.
“…!”
Evangeline and Kudo’s group were greatly surprised at the sight.
Dwarves were a race with very strong pride, so they rarely bowed their heads under any circumstances.
Even if their lives were saved, while they might say thanks, they would make various excuses and absolutely never bend their backs – that was the dwarf race.
For such a dwarf to bow his head to a human in gratitude was nothing short of extraordinary.
“Though I cannot properly reciprocate in this urgent situation, I will never forget the grace of saving our tribe and will repay it through generations.”
Borodin knelt on one knee toward Carlisle.
“We will not forget this grace.”
Then the dwarves of the Red Hammer tribe also knelt on one knee toward Carlisle, showing respect to their savior.
‘Ugh.’
Carlisle felt terrible.
Since it was Maranello, not himself, who had defeated Gorgonne, receiving such gratitude pricked his conscience unbearably.
Maranello had essentially handed him the credit…
* * *
The dwarves quickly organized the situation, collecting broken statue fragments and assessing the status of survivors.
“I’m truly sorry. We should properly treat our benefactors with drink and food, but we have nothing.”
Borodin apologized to Carlisle’s group, looking troubled.
Normally, they would have held a village feast to properly entertain Carlisle’s group, but with 500 years having passed, they didn’t even have food to eat immediately.
“Hmm.”
Carlisle thought for a moment, then spoke.
“Corporal Kudo.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Could you possibly send word to Dekaron?”
“Word?”
“The dwarves have nothing to eat or wear right now, so I’d like to request some support.”
“Ah.”
Kudo nodded as if he understood.
“Then I’ll have Marder go back, and Wilson and I will go buy daily necessities.”
“Thank you.”
“Don’t mention it.”
Kudo waved his hand as if it was nothing, then turned and walked away.
“Hmm.”
Meanwhile, Borodin, the chief of the Fire Hammer tribe, showed great interest in Carlisle’s sword.
“Why are you looking at it like that?”
“The sword you’re wearing, sir.”
“…?”
“If it wouldn’t be rude… may I examine it once?”
“Go ahead.”
Carlisle casually unfastened Grimgand and handed it to Borodin.
“Hmm!”
Borodin carefully examined Grimgand and then said.
“This sword, is it perhaps a dwarf’s work?”
“No, it’s not.”
Carlisle shook his head.
The Inheritance Sword was made through collaboration between direct bloodline members of House Sigmund and the family’s blacksmith, or by improving inherited ones.
“The technology used to craft this sword is clearly dwarven, no matter how you look at it.”
“Huh? But that’s not…”
“It even appears to use techniques unique to our Ironhammer Tribe.”
“That can’t be right.”
Then Maranello suddenly interjected.
“It probably is. I’ve heard that the first Inheritance Sword was created by dwarves.”
“I thought as much.”
Borodin nodded as if he had expected this.
“It seems a descendant of our tribe made your swords and passed down the techniques.”
Borodin turned his gaze back to Grimgand.
“And this sword… it’s truly remarkable.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“It contains a great and mighty will. It may look like scrap metal on the outside, but its true value is…”
Just as Borodin was about to answer Maranello’s question.
“You’ve seen enough, haven’t you?”
Carlisle quickly snatched Grimgand away, cutting off Borodin’s words.
The fact that this rusted iron sword was Grimgand was a secret even Maranello didn’t know.
Not only Maranello, but all members of House Sigmund believed Carlisle’s Inheritance Sword was the [Wanderer] made by an ancestor named Rompen.
“From now on, our Ironhammer Tribe will craft your family’s swords.”
“Pardon?”
“There’s a connection from our predecessors, and you’re our savior who rescued our tribe. We can at least do that much. Our Ironhammer Tribe will serve you and your family, repaying this debt for generations to come.”
“You don’t need to go that far…”
The Baby Dragon suddenly poked its head out.
“Yahoo! I have dwarves too!”
“…!”
Borodin spotted the Baby Dragon and froze like a mouse before a cat.
“D… dra… gon…”
“What? First time seeing a dragon?”
“Dra… gon…”
“Won’t you bow? Where do you get off, you dwarf. Roaaaar!”
“Gack!”
Borodin suddenly collapsed with a thud.
Trembling…!
His whole body shook like an aspen tree, his eyes rolled back showing only the whites, and foam bubbled from his mouth…
“Chief! Chief!”
“Are you alright?”
The dwarves who had rushed over in panic spotted the Baby Dragon and had seizures.
“Oh, great being!”
“A dragon!”
“We humble beings pay our respects to your noble presence!”
The dwarves of the Ironhammer Tribe prostrated themselves before the Baby Dragon, bowing repeatedly.
It seemed the Baby Dragon’s words about dwarves being their natural enemies weren’t empty boasts.
* * *
After it was revealed that Carlisle was the Baby Dragon’s master, the dwarves’ treatment of him became even more devoted.
They were already in his debt for being saved, but learning that Carlisle was actually a dragon’s master made their reverence grow even deeper.
‘Why are they all acting like this?’
Watching the dwarves who didn’t dare look at him directly and only groveled, Carlisle realized that the fear of dragons imprinted in their genes was beyond imagination.
Just as the Baby Dragon had said, the dwarves couldn’t stand tall before a dragon.
The relationship between dragons and dwarves being natural enemies of the highest order, following the laws of nature, was something he could feel in his bones.
“Then what are dragons’ natural enemies?”
“You think we have natural enemies?”
“Good point.”
“Well, it’s not like there aren’t any at all.”
“There are some?”
“Dragon Slayers.”
“Dragon Slayers?”
“Beings born to kill dragons.”
“There’s such a race?”
“Dragon Slayers aren’t a race. It’s more like an inborn talent.”
“…?”
“A Dragon Slayer could be a dwarf, an elf, or a human.”
“Ah.”
“You know, like those stories about heroes killing evil dragons.”
“Right.”
“Those are probably stories about Dragon Slayers. Beings capable of killing adult dragons are truly rare.”
“So you do have natural enemies?”
“As long as we don’t cause trouble.”
“…?”
“Dragon Slayers are the result of dragons’ karma. You could say they’re divine punishment sent to dragons who abuse their innate power to commit evil acts.”
“What are you talking about?”
“It’s a real thing.”
After saying this, the Baby Dragon started bossing around the dwarves.
“What are you doing? Hurry up and bring the shiny things! Do I have to get angry?”
“J-just wait a moment!”
The dwarves ran off at full speed and returned with sparkling jewelry and gems, offering them to the Baby Dragon.
“Hmm. It’s not great, but I’ll accept it considering your sincerity.”
“Thank you! Oh dragon!”
“But next time, bring proper tribute. Otherwise, I’ll gobble you all up.”
“How could we refuse?”
“Good, good.”
When the Baby Dragon acted magnanimous as if doing them a favor, the dwarves bowed repeatedly as if deeply honored.
‘This is complete extortion and intimidation.’
While Carlisle inwardly shook his head, he didn’t particularly scold the Baby Dragon.
What could he say when it was a natural enemy relationship according to the laws of nature?
It was the same principle as a tiger hunting deer.
* * *
As always, Grand Duke Guntram, who had been concentrating on work in his office, received an unexpected report and put down his quill pen.
“Hmm.”
Grand Duke Guntram doubted his own ears.
He couldn’t believe the report that had just come up, so he needed to confirm it once more.
“Tell me again.”
“Yes, Your Grace the Grand Duke. Young Master Carlisle…”
“So you’re saying that boy not only discovered several mines in the Merel Mountain Range, but also defeated an ancient demon and saved a dwarf tribe? And he’s requesting support troops and supplies to help the dwarf tribe?”
“That such a report came up is an undeniable fact.”
“What in the world….”
Grand Duke Guntram simply could not understand it at all.
“I will go and see for myself, so prepare.”
“Yes, Your Grace.”
Grand Duke Guntram decided to take action personally.
Since it was such an unbelievable report, he felt he would only be able to believe it if he confirmed it with his own two eyes….
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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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