Report
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HELHEIM SCANS
[Translator - Pot]
[Proofreader - Kawaii]
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Chapter 71: The Terminally Ill Nobleman is the Mad Dog of the Underworld
At the break of dawn, the rooster crowed. Its weak, unenthusiastic cry suggested it hadn’t been fed, and the sound roused me from sleep.
"Wow, I feel refreshed."
To think I could sleep so soundly. Perhaps I’ve let my guard down a bit. I stretched with a yawn big enough to launch a dragon’s breath and rose from my spot.
"Are you awake, my lord?"
I turned to see one of my men standing nervously outside the door.
"What are you doing?"
"Just standing guard, just in case."
"Is that so? Good job."
I glanced at the corners of the guard’s eyes and asked.
"You didn’t fall asleep on duty, did you? You’ve got crust in your eyes."
"Oh, no, sir! That’s just... I don’t wash my face often..."
"You filthy lot. From now on, if you don’t keep yourselves clean and tidy, I’ll start with your boss and beat the lesson into every one of you."
"Y-yes, sir!"
See? I’m someone who cares about the hygiene of my subordinates.
Speaking of which, my own clothes are probably reeking of blood by now.
"Do we have a place to wash up?"
"Yes, we do."
"Then lead the way."
"Right away, sir."
"If you have any spare clothes, bring them to me, and make sure my current ones are thoroughly washed."
"Understood."
"Good. You’re good at answering orders."
After a quick wash, I went to find Zizek.
"Good morning."
"Good morning, my foot."
Zizek rubbed his swollen eyes and sluggishly got up.
"You even let me have the best seat? What a considerate subordinate I have."
Ignoring my comment, Zizek shifted the conversation.
"I’ve already dealt with the men downstairs, so there’s nothing to worry about."
I immediately understood what he meant. Given the sudden leadership change, it was only natural that some dissent would arise among the ranks.
"Were there any complaints?"
"There were bound to be. But after seeing my face, they’ve all agreed to follow."
"Really? That’s tidy work."
I gave Zizek a closer look. He was more meticulous than I’d initially thought.
"You look... oddly excited."
"It’s not excitement, exactly. Just a little adrenaline, I suppose."
He scratched his head in embarrassment.
"If nothing else, this feels more honest and upright."
"So you’ve been uncomfortable all this time."
"Well, yes, that’s true."
"But that’s not all, is it? You must’ve had something to fall back on—a reason for your confidence."
"I won’t deny it."
Grinning, I said to Zizek.
"Congratulations, Zizek, on winning the gamble of your life."
"Goodness, your confidence knows no bounds."
"Just as I ordered last night, start the day by cleaning the entire building. Get the men into the baths, scrub them clean, and buy them some new clothes."
"...Excuse me?"
Zizek looked at me, expecting an explanation.
"For a person to change, their appearance must change first. Wash yourselves properly, tidy up your clothes and hair. Show that even in this back alley, there can be dignity."
"..."
Zizek nodded.
"But whose money are we using for this?"
I pointed at Zizek.
"Yours."
"You’re full of orders but don’t give anything in return."
Grumbling, Zizek snapped his fingers.
"What’s that about?"
"I called those guys. You should at least acknowledge them."
"Even though I killed some of them?"
"Does that make you feel guilty now?"
I locked eyes with Zizek as I answered.
"I’d be lying if I said I felt nothing."
When I stepped into the hallway, about twenty people were lined up in two rows.
Compared to the Grunewald Royal Guard or the Knightly Orders, their discipline and skill were laughable—a ragtag bunch, really.
But these were the first underlings I’d gained in the underworld through my own efforts as Allenvert.
Just as I’d sworn to protect Peter, I’d have to take responsibility for these people as well. That’s the duty of a leader.
"Rob."
I turned to the guide who had led me here after getting beaten to a pulp. His body was wrapped in bandages.
"Did you bury the dead properly?"
"...Not yet. We’ve only collected the bodies so far."
"Were they friends of yours?"
"No, not friends. But we had been sharing the same pot for a while."
"I see."
I scanned the group of misfits who were now under my command. Naturally, a few words from Zizek wouldn’t magically instill loyalty in them.
"It’s true that I provoked you, but I only struck back because you tried to kill me first."
"...We understand that. In fact, we’re grateful you chose to spare and take us in, even after that."
Rob answered without daring to meet my gaze.
Fear is often the most effective way to control men in the underworld. But fear alone can never foster genuine loyalty.
"Take this."
I pulled out two gold coins from my pocket and tossed them to Rob.
"Find graves for the dead and bury them properly. If they have families, let the organization take care of them."
"…!"
The unexpected words caused visible surprise in Rob and the others.
"Tend to the injured properly. If anyone can’t fight anymore, assign them other tasks. Do you understand?"
"Understood."
I turned to Zizek.
"Make sure it’s handled properly. Also, find out if there are merchants dealing in high-quality spirit medicines."
"And why would we need that?"
"You’ll need them, too, once you save enough money, won’t you?"
"!"
Of course, this was only half the truth. I intended to search the underworld for any surviving members of Eisenach.
"Ah, and one more thing."
I extended my hand toward Zizek, who seemed slightly touched by my earlier words.
"Give me one of those gold coins."
"Excuse me?"
"I just realized I have something I need to spend it on."
"If that’s the case, why did you give two coins for the funerals in the first place?"
"That’s that, and this is this."
I promptly reclaimed one of the coins from Zizek.
"Got any smaller change?"
"You’re a real highway robber, you know that?"
Grumbling, Zizek rummaged through his pockets and handed me some coins.
"I probably won’t be back for a few days. Do you have any signal flares?"
"No, we don’t."
"Buy one. If anything happens, shoot it toward the Grunewald Harbor at night. I’ll come to help, no matter what it takes."
"…Asking where you’re going is pointless, isn’t it?"
"You know me too well."
***
I strolled leisurely through the streets of Grunewald as the morning sun climbed higher.
The bustling, shadowy figures of the underworld had vanished, and the streets looked vastly different from their nighttime selves.
'…It’s lively.'
The city was awakening in earnest. The harbor was already teeming with workers and merchants hurrying about, and the most diligent vendors had already set off, carrying their wares.
'They live so earnestly.'
The morning energy of the city was infectious. The resilience of those who toil daily just to survive struck me as both admirable and unyielding.
It would be unacceptable for such people to suffer tears of injustice under exploitation.
I know all too well that even in the cities of the most powerful rulers, structures of exploitation are inevitable. Just as light casts shadows, the underworld exists in parallel.
'You must have taken my hand because you hated that, Zizek .'
I smirked as I watched merchants cautiously avoid Karzan’s rough-looking face.
"Two wafers, please."
"Ah, yes, right away!"
But no matter how intimidating or charming someone looks, if they pay, they’re just another customer.
I handed the money to the vendor who rushed over and took a bite of the wafer.
"Wow, it’s sweet."
I figured I’d bring one back for Ludan later. Though it was just cheap flour dusted with sugar, the kind of snack unfit for a ducal family, simple treats like this often tasted the best.
"Burp."
Munching on the wafer, I made my way to the rooftop of the building where Peter’s family lived.
Within moments, I shifted back into Peter’s appearance. Peering through the window, I saw Peter’s family busily preparing for the morning.
'I’ll have to tell Zizek to take care of this family when I return.'
As I thought about the instructions I’d give Zizek, I realized I still didn’t even know their names.
"…"
I’d planned to quietly leave them some pocket money, but that wouldn’t work.
A brother who doesn’t remember his family names suddenly showing up would only cause confusion. Clicking my tongue, I turned to leave when...
"Big bro!"
A young girl’s voice calling me made me turn my head.
"…"
"What are you doing here at this hour?"
Hmm, I’ve been caught. Even for someone as skilled at improvisation as Karzan, this was a slightly tricky situation.
"Ah, I just came by to run an urgent errand for the young master."
"At this hour?"
"He needed something in a hurry…"
"And what was so urgent?"
"Well, just… something."
I awkwardly patted the child’s head and pulled a gold coin from my pocket.
"Take this and keep it safe. Use it if you ever need it."
"Huh? Where’d you get a gold coin?"
The child looked at me with wide, startled eyes before narrowing them into sharp slits like hooks.
"You’re not doing something shady, are you?"
"Me?"
…Should I call it ‘wild imagination', or is it just that the atmosphere of this neighborhood is that messed up?
Scratching my head, I answered in a casual tone.
"You don’t need to worry. I’ll be bringing home plenty of money from now on."
"…"
The child tilted her head in suspicion.
"You seem a little different from usual."
Sharp kid. She picked up on something that even the servants hadn’t noticed. Is this what they mean by family being family?
"Maybe I didn’t sleep well. Anyway, take care of yourself. I’ll be back in a few days."
"Okay."
I handed her the wafer I’d bought earlier.
"Want this? I picked it up on my way here."
"Really?!"
Still, her eyes lit up at the mention of a snack. A child’s heart is easy to please.
"I’ll share it with Mom. Thanks."
"…"
She even planned to share a simple treat. Despite their poverty, her caring nature for her family wasn’t so different from Peter’s. I smiled faintly and said goodbye.
"I’m heading out."
"Okay. Stay safe!"
Without turning back, I waved my hand as I walked away. Smart kid—cleverer than her brother by far.
If she wanted to, I wouldn’t mind taking her in as a servant someday and ensuring she received a proper education.
'Then again, she was supposed to grow up as a young lady of a baron’s household.'
I thought of Peter’s younger sister, whose name I still didn’t know, as I made my way back to Grunewald Castle. The long night’s outing had finally come to an end.
***
"Peter, came back from work?"
"Good morning!"
I greeted cheerfully as I passed through the guards’ checkpoint.
"Oh, you’ve brought some treats!"
"The young master was curious about them."
On my way back, I bought a generous batch of wafers from another merchant.
After using up all the coins I’d wrung out of Zizek, the merchant had insisted it was too much money and packed me an absurd amount. Such an honest merchant—it’s rare to come across one like that.
"Would you like one?"
"Haha, I’ll pass, but I appreciate the thought. Can’t snack on duty."
The guard looked at me with an expression that said he found me both adorable and earnest.
Still…
Switching between being Allenvert, Karzan, and now Peter—it had been quite a chaotic day, even by my standards.
People called me a mad dog before, but now I felt like I’d gone half a turn crazier.
‘If only I could expand my influence quickly enough, I wouldn’t have to run around like this and could delegate instead.’
But every mighty empire started as a small village, and every grand fleet began with a humble rowboat. I wasn’t planning to rush things.
"Lalala."
Humming like a carefree child, I skipped my way to the annex.
The mood was good, the sky was bright and clear, and the air felt refreshingly crisp. The world seemed beautiful today.
‘Mission accomplished.’
I had achieved plenty. Especially in a place like this, where earning trust was far more challenging than gaining power.
‘Today, I’ve planted one foot firmly in Grunewald’s shadows.’
If I had to sum it all up in a single phrase…
‘The terminally ill nobleman is the mad dog of the Underworld.’
What a ridiculous notion.
Yet, within that absurd statement lay the truth of who I really was.
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HELHEIM SCANS
[Translator - Pot]
[Proofreader - Kawaii]
Join our Discord for release updates!
https://discord.com/invite/dbdMDhzWa2
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