My Disciples Became Scoundrels - Chapter 73

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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The Lord’s Wife clutched the corpse to her chest and wailed without restraint. The Lord’s expression eased somewhat as he looked at me.
“Since it’s not alive, I’ll pay only half the agreed sum. You may go.”
I collected the payment from the steward and slipped away with Cesare. We’d escaped cleanly enough, but Cesare’s expression remained deeply troubled.
He’d worn that same face for days now. He was out all day and barely came home until dawn, so I could scarcely see his face at all.
“It’s all finished, isn’t it? When do we return to Aspenhelm?”
“Once the Lockdown Order is lifted.”
We walked the streets together. Even at the mention of leaving, Cesare’s expression remained sunken.
By his nature, he would have sparred with Gai and made a fuss over something like this. He was holding himself back.
As we walked through the street, true to a resort town, there were vendor stalls everywhere. I pointed to one of them.
“Let’s have an Ice Confection.”
“They’re selling liquor over there too.”
“What flavor is the Ice Confection?”
“Apple.”
I bought an Ice Confection and handed one to Cesare. He grumbled but took it.
We sat on a bench. Between the distant calls of seabirds, Cesare crunched away at his Ice Confection.
“Your heart’s been hurt quite a bit, hasn’t it?”
Only the sound of his chewing came back. I spoke to the sullen-faced Cesare.
“You have no reason to feel wronged toward me.”
Anyone could see that Hayden was the one at fault. Whatever his circumstances, they couldn’t erase the wound Cesare had suffered.
If we returned like this, could the two of them live together peacefully in the same house? In all honesty, this amounted to asking Cesare to make a sacrifice.
Cesare held the stick in his mouth and glanced at me.
“I’m not so shallow, Master. I’ve known for a long time that you’re not the sort to give up on us.”
His voice was dark, but he didn’t seem to be forcing false cheerfulness. He let out a small laugh.
“And it’s alright because other people are beating him in your stead.”
“He’s taking quite the battering, isn’t he.”
Arkel and Bella were in the process of thrashing Hayden soundly. Punching him, hurling recriminations.
“No matter how desperately you need money, how could you resort to scams? How much shame are you trying to bring on Balanus?”
“You’ve wronged Cesare, and if you’ve committed a sin, you should grovel. Why are you being so defiant?”
“Sister, Elder Brother—it hurts!”
Remembering that scene, Cesare burst into giggles.
“Still, I think Jenia was the scariest.”
“She really looked like she’d break his legs.”
Jenia had been treating Hayden cordially. She didn’t single him out for blame and took good care of him.
“Jenia, you’re the only one. Everyone else hates me…”
“You did something wrong to Cesare. There’s no way around it.”
“But if you had to choose between me and Cesare, who would it be?”
“Both. I need all of our family.”
“Both won’t work—I’m running away from home!”
At that, Jenia looked down at Hayden’s two legs with eyes that held no warmth.
“I’ll make sure you can’t run away.”
After that, Hayden stopped talking about running away. Everyone valued family, but what Jenia possessed seemed somehow different.
It was subtly similar to what Arkel had, yet Jenia’s version seemed to lack something—or perhaps held something in excess.
Cesare leaned his arm carelessly against the bench as he spoke.
“I feel a little better now that everyone’s taking my side. Hayden avoids my eyes when he sees me. And…”
He glanced at me.
“Family should forgive each other.”
I said nothing and patted Cesare’s shoulder. He was the sort who always placed family—and me—above his own feelings.
“When we get back, buy me a drink, won’t you?”
“I’ll think about it a little longer.”
“Ah, I should have wept a little more. Then you would’ve bought it for sure.”
He was joking. Though it sounded half-sincere.
I wanted to buy him anything he asked for. But Cesare’s money troubles had only just begun to settle.
We returned to the lodgings together. By the time we arrived, his expression had brightened considerably.
As we headed toward the men’s quarters, a noisy commotion came from within. Cesare heard it and glanced at me.
“I’ll come back in a bit.”
Perhaps it was too much to expect all at once. I nodded and entered the room, where Arkel and Hayden were.
“Master! You’ve arrived? The Lord fell for it, didn’t he?”
“Yes. I’ve handled the corpse matter cleanly. Once the Lockdown Order is lifted, we’ll leave.”
A Sphere of Light hovered in Hayden’s palm. I looked at Arkel.
“What were you two doing?”
“Assessing Hayden’s abilities. For someone who calls himself a Great Mage, his performance was rather lacking.”
“Brother. Most people can’t use Silent Magic.”
“If you can’t use Silent Magic, then use Dual Casting instead.”
Arkel had made a remark as if suggesting that if one lacked bread, one should simply eat cake.
Hayden looked somewhat bewildered before beginning to form hand seals.
“You mean cast simultaneously with both hands and voice? That’s… rather difficult.”
“Then do it.”
Hayden’s expression soured. Yet he continued doing as instructed.
Once the Lockdown Order was lifted, we would all return home. Everyone would reunite there.
……It had been easy. Far too easy, how smoothly everything had unfolded.
Of course, the process of finding Hayden had been arduous. Cesare too was struggling to bear his pain in silence.
What was easy was Hayden’s demeanor. He created no conflict with anyone, constantly deferred, apologized……
Garcia had called him a madman. That assessment stood in stark contrast to Hayden’s current behavior.
Was his attitude different because they were family? No, it was something else entirely.
The boy was hiding something. I had no intention of letting it pass.
Hayden was my precious student, but Cesare too was my precious student. I could not sacrifice any more of my disciples.
* * *
The next day.
Early evening—beyond the Inn’s window, the sea was visible. Ships with white sails were departing. Bella turned from the window as she spoke.
“It’s fortunate the Lockdown Order was lifted so quickly.”
“The Lord would have had difficulty maintaining it any longer.”
Blockading the shipping lanes would strain even a lord’s resources. For us, it was a stroke of luck.
I surveyed my disciples gathered in the inn room. Arkel, Jenia, and Hayden were present. Hayden wore plain men’s clothing.
“So we’re finally escaping? But if we leave like this, we’ll be caught for sure.”
“That’s why I’ve made arrangements.”
“Are we taking a ship?”
As Hayden looked on with confusion, the door opened and Cesare entered. He spoke without so much as glancing toward Hayden.
“I’ve left my Mana Stone outside. We can move now.”
Cesare’s wrist was bare. With the Lockdown Order lifted, the Sealing Bracelet had been removed.
“Good. Cesare, take Hayden and slip away first. We’ll follow behind.”
Teleportation would be more effective than a ship. The only drawback was that Cesare had to maintain contact with his target.
Cesare still refused to look at Hayden. Hayden shifted uncomfortably before lowering his head.
“I… Cesare. I’m sorry. There were circumstances at the time—I couldn’t explain.”
Cesare didn’t respond to the apology. Hayden remained hung in shame, unable to lift his gaze.
At the sight of his wavering, Cesare glanced at him briefly. A long sigh escaped him. He scratched the back of his head irritably.
“Fine. You’ve been through your share of hardship too.”
At those words, Hayden’s breath caught. His voice cracked, trembling with both apology and gratitude.
“Brother……!”
“I still can’t stand looking at you, so keep your distance.”
“Of course, brother! I’ll spend my whole life apologizing!”
Hayden leaned against him gently. Cesare complained but didn’t turn away.
Cesare looked remarkably dependable today. That one really was a brother after all.
Hayden wrapped his arms around Cesare’s side. His face was pure delight. Cesare seized him by the scruff of his neck.
“I’ll be waiting at the forest’s edge. See you soon.”
The moment those words left his lips, Cesare and Hayden vanished. Jenia busied herself gathering their belongings.
“We’re renting a carriage from the Neighboring Village, yes?”
“Yes. We’ll regroup at the forest entrance first.”
We left the Inn, we left the city. Guards stood before the City Gates, but they paid us little attention.
As we headed toward the forest, Jenia chattered away.
“Now our whole family is together. It’s wonderful. You think so too, don’t you?”
“Well, for now. Hayden’s been quieter than expected. Does even a madman behave himself around family?”
The forest entrance drew steadily closer. But something felt wrong.
I sensed no one. Only when we drew nearer did I spot him.
Cesare lay collapsed. Hayden was nowhere to be found.
I rushed toward Cesare without thinking. As I approached, the stench of blood met me. Blood seeped from Cesare’s side.
“Cesare!”
“Damn……”
I hastily pulled back his clothes to reveal a wound. The injury site had taken on a purple hue.
Paralysis Poison? I had Recovery Potions, but no Antidote. I forced him to take what I had as his eyes barely flickered open.
“Cesare, what happened?”
“Hayden…….”
Cesare’s fists clenched so tightly his knuckles paled. Something was about to shatter—whether rage or tears, he couldn’t say.
“That bastard stabbed me. While smiling…….”
“…….”
“He betrayed me again…….”
Blood continued to seep from Cesare’s side. That was all I could see. It felt as though something inside me was bleeding too.
As Cesare gritted his teeth, Arkel pressed a hand to his wound and spoke.
“Lowering his body temperature will slow the poison’s spread, but it’s only temporary. We’ll need to find an antidote.”
For now, Cesare took priority over Hayden. I turned to my disciples.
“I’ll buy the antidote. Bella and Jenia—pursue Hayden.”
Just then, the sound of hoofbeats thundered toward us. I turned to see soldiers charging hard on horseback.
Before I could wonder what this meant, I saw their eyes burning with hostility. A soldier reined in his mount and shouted.
“Balanus Domus! By order of Lord Panos! Come with us and answer for the corpse forgery!”
“Forgery?”
“Did you think we wouldn’t notice the tattoo on the shoulder was merely a drawing?”
A drawing? No—Hayden would never have made such a mistake.
In that moment, everything became clear. After our escape, he’d set a trap to bind our feet.
Should I go with the soldiers and let Hayden flee?
I couldn’t do both. I had to save Cesare and capture Hayden. Catch him, beat him senseless, lock him away—whatever it took.
When we didn’t move at once, the soldiers drew their blades.
“Balanus Domus, come with us at once!”
* * *
A shadow moved through the forest. As twilight fell, the solitary figure stopped.
Moss-covered tombstones stood where trees had been. It was a cemetery.
Hayden sat perched on a gravestone, breathing hard. His breath came ragged from the run.
As he flicked blood from his dagger, he spoke toward the forest, now stained crimson by the setting sun.
“You’re fast. Leaving your injured disciple behind—that’s allowed?”
The figure that emerged from between the trees was Dein. Eyes that normally gleamed gold were tinted red by the sunset.
A killing intent poured from him that bore no resemblance to affection for a disciple. He looked like a man wielding a weapon, even with his sword still sheathed.
“Why did you do it?”
His voice was calm. But his expression betrayed it—the fury he was pressing down.
“I said I wanted to go. You wouldn’t let me.”
“So you stabbed your brother?”
Hayden laughed—the laugh of someone who’d heard something absurd.
“Master, you. Everyone’s so stupid. It’s been fifteen years. Fifteen years.”
He rose, dagger in hand. As the sun died and darkness fell, his voice cut through the gloom.
“Isn’t it been long enough to stop playing family?”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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