The Terminally Ill Nobleman is the Mad Dog of the Underworld

[Translator - Pot]

[Proofreader - Kawaii]

Chapter 77: This Is My Own Deal

“Father summoned Allenvert to the winery?”

Verdzig received the report only late at night.

“……”

Even his eyes and ears, which watched over both day and night within the Duke’s castle, couldn’t immediately detect the head of the Clan’s actions.

“That’s quite interesting.”

Verdzig naturally understood the meaning of this. With this, Allenvert received the Clan head's official recognition.

“A new participant has appeared in the battle to determine who will sit on Grunewald’s throne.”

Allenvert. That boy is still weak, young, and without any power…

‘He has already become a lion.’

One who is merely waking from a long sleep and stretching.

“I truly have a bold younger brother.”

The existence of a rival always provides appropriate tension.

‘Father is probably thinking of putting Allenvert to a proper test now.’

It was natural since he was summoned to that place. Verdzig had no doubt that Allenvert received a score that was more than passing.

‘Moreover, he is surprisingly lenient with his children.’

Even Karl, who is closer to a commoner compared to himself, received a decent score, so what more needs to be said about Allenvert?

“Hmm.”

He thought of dozens of ways to obstruct Allenvert, ways to quietly assassinate him, ways to poison him, and ways to ruin his reputation through slander, then lightly laughed.

‘If I crush him too early, I’ll only face another check.’

If his father wasn’t thinking of handing over the throne so easily, if he was wary of the monster coiled within the second son’s heart, Verdzig, instead of killing or hiding that monster—

He was thinking of watching the seed of hope that was Allenvert sprout and extend its branches, and gifting him with appropriate trials.

‘If he is broken by them, then it can’t be helped.’

If he endures…

‘I will cut off his waist at the right time and devour everything.’

All of this was a grand strategy originating from his firm confidence that he could kill Allenvert or render him incapable of recovery whenever he set his mind to it.

And that was the truth.

“By the way, who did he say was assigned as his instructor?”

The butler, who stayed by his side day and night, answered.

“According to what I’ve found…”

Verdzig’s expression changed when he heard the name.

“Venion, you say?”

***

I returned to the annex feeling pleasantly tipsy.

“Wow, this wine is good. Expensive things are different after all.”

Peter asked with a dumbfounded expression.

“No, how can you drink with Duke?”

“He gave it to me, so I drank it. What else could I do?”

“You’re really amazing in some ways.”

I looked at Olivier, who had a serious expression, and said.

“Why are you so down? Tell me what’s wrong.”

“It’s nothing.”

Olivier shook his head.

“It’s something to congratulate you on. However, I just think that you will now be facing serious checks from your brothers…”

“Anyone seeing this would think you’re putting out a lover at the pier.”

That’s a big misunderstanding. If I had to make a comparison, I’m closer to a Godfather who has taken over that pier area and is collecting protection money.

“Stop with the sudden sentimental talk, Olivier. From the moment I was born into Grunewald, I was already in a state of struggle against everyone.”

“…I see.”

Olivier lowered his head.

“I apologize for speaking weakly.”

“It’s not that. It just means Olivier is a kind man.”

“You mean me?”

“Just because your expression is stern doesn’t mean your heart is the same way.”

“……”

I smiled at the embarrassed Olivier.

“Then, tell Jeffrey and his loyal subordinates to assign rooms.”

“Understood.”

“And chat with them a bit.”

Olivier smiled faintly.

“I will.”

I also said to Peter.

“You go and keep them company too. And keep a good eye out for anyone talking behind our backs.”

“Huh? Ah, understood.”

“Turn off the lights when you go.”

As soon as the two left, the room became quiet in an instant.

I stared for a long time at the corner of the room, which was as dark as an abyss. As if a weak-hearted person were seeing illusions, all sorts of thoughts and images repeatedly surfaced and disappeared, using the darkness as their canvas.

“……”

In that silence, I thought about my meeting with my father, Duke Georg.

‘He said he’d grant me a wish; it’s absurd no matter how I think about it.’

In the end, the instructor had already been decided, and I had simply given the answer he wanted. In that sense, the words about granting a wish were a kind of formality.

‘Honestly.’

My instructor. According to what I heard from Ludan, a man with the name ‘Venion.’

‘Now that I think about it, that name is a bit exotic?’

Names often say a lot. Befitting a port city like Grunewald, he might be a man who flowed in from a foreign land.

‘His identity is unclear, but he’s talented enough to receive the head of the Clan’s trust?’

This setting couldn’t help but smell fishy. Perhaps he’s a man related to Grunewald’s darkness.

‘Father was different from what I expected.’

I thought he was a cold-blooded man with an iron-like rationality. A flawless ruler usually abandons their humanity.

‘But he also had a human side.’

At the same time, I confirmed that he was the possessor of a rationality strong ‘enough to overcome’ that humanity.

‘Humanity is by no means his weakness.’

I am not a man who dismisses humanity and emotions as inferior and considers thorough rationality and cold-bloodedness as superior. If a human abandons their humanity, they are merely a monster.

“Even now, as the lord and head of the Clan, I believe my method of discipline was the best. However, as a father, I think a little differently.”

If I chew on those words, doesn’t it ultimately mean that he regrets the tragedy that befell me and my mother?

I recalled the words of my grandfather, which had held Karzan’s life.

“Karzan, living inhumanely is a shameful thing.”

What does it even mean to live humanely? What is a human?

My conclusion, now that I’m old enough to understand my grandfather’s heart, is this.

‘It is human to regret.’

In the silent darkness, I heard the fiercely boiling sound within me.

Why did I feel relieved and joyful at seeing Duke Georg’s weakness, regret, and emotions? It was because I saw his humanity in that appearance.

‘To be human is perhaps to be weak and emotional, which sounds like an extremely naive and foolish thing to say.’

However, let’s say I lived chasing only great power, only great wealth, only high authority, only thorough revenge, and finally achieved all of it.

Then, would I have achieved the goal of my life? Would there be no regrets left in my life, and would I simply end my long journey satisfied with that brilliant achievement?

‘It is not so.’

I just as much wish for Peter’s kindness to be reciprocated. I wish for my mother’s heart, which lives in hell, to be saved.

I wish for the day to come when I can meet Zamuel again, whom I left behind, and pour the years into our glasses of alcohol, saying that so many terrible things have happened in the meantime.

If he fills my glass at that time and offers a word of comfort, saying that I’ve gone through a lot, only then will my soul be saved.

‘Father, it is true that you did things you shouldn’t have done to me and my mother.’

But yesterday, I saw a fragment of the duchy’s vastness. Compared to that vastness, the value of the Duke’s fourth wife and one of her sons was actually insignificant.

If great political gains could be obtained by abandoning the two of them? And if the ancestral shrines that had continued for hundreds of years could be firmly protected?

I don’t completely fail to understand why my father made such a choice.

‘Of course, I would never have made such a choice.’

However, I still don’t fully know what challenges and dangers Duke Georg Grunewald faced at that time when he made that judgment.

‘Above all.’n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

My father, who possessed perfect authority and unapproachable martial prowess, did not look happy to me. It is probably because the family he had to neglect and sacrifice was constantly on his mind.

Then, I will save you. And I will inherit the throne you have built and use your power to untangle the tightly twisted knots.

‘This is my own deal, Duke Georg Grunewald.’

I know that it is a preposterous statement, like an ant understanding and saving a dragon.

But it didn’t matter.

“Because I have made up my mind to do so.”

Isn’t that enough?

***

The capital of Grunewald Duchy.

The first port of the Litvaleur Kingdom.

The gateway to the continent.

A city of merchants where all treasures pass through…

Zizek, the boss who leads a sub-sub-organization of the third-rate major organization ‘Bisakino Brotherhood’ which dominates the Grunewald city’s underworld, was in serious trouble.

“Fucking hell.”

The more he thought about it, the more ridiculous it was.

“It’s easy to say, but how am I supposed tidy up all of this mess overnight?”

The problem was that he couldn’t not do it.

“Are you really going to do it?”

Rob, who had become a neat-looking man after drastically cutting his wildly grown hair, shaving his beard, and being repeatedly soaked and parboiled in a bath as if he were extracting chicken broth, asked.

“Ah, this nuthead. I really can’t get used to your appearance.”

“I can’t get used to the mirror either.”

Rob fidgeted with his stiff new clothes.

“If that gets torn, you’re dead. You either buy it with your own money or sew it.”

“I told you I understood.”

Rob’s broken nose had just been treated with a potion. Of course, it was still in a fragile state, enough to break again if he overdid it.

“But Boss, is this really the right thing to do?”

At another subordinate’s question, Zizek retorted.

“Then what do you want to do? Do you have any other ideas?”

A subordinate with a face even more menacing than the scar around his eye scratched his cheek with a naive expression.

“Well… we could dig a trap and stab him in the back. Or report to the higher-ups and invite experts to launch a joint attack.”

Zizek sighed.

“Someone take that idiot and beat the shit out of him.”

“Yes, sir!”

As his colleague was dragged away, the rest shut their mouths tight.

“Don’t even think about using your heads carelessly. Karzan, that man has powerful backers. He’s also a veteran in this business.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Most importantly, I’ve decided to go under that man. Are you dissatisfied with my decision?”

Then, the subordinates replied with faces full of military discipline.

“No, sir.”

“From now on, anyone who brings this matter up again will get a serious beating.”

Zizek looked at his neatly groomed face in the mirror. Looking at it like this, it seemed like he was a bit better looking than that gruff man.

“It’s actually a good thing. That guy is reckless like a madman, but he’s a man who has established his own code of conduct in his heart. He didn’t actually kill all of you, did he?”

“That’s right.”

“And from the beginning, the Bisakino Brotherhood can’t even be called our backer. What do those guys even do? At best, they just take protection money and occasionally sell their name. Is there anything else?”

“That’s true.”

“That man is different. His caliber is different.”

Rob asked.

“How are you so sure about that, Boss?”

“I’ve seen it before. A true Godfather of the underworld.”

Zizek chuckled.

“…He has that same aura.”

Zizek looked at each of his subordinates’ serious faces and said.

“But if we are to follow that man’s will, there will be times when we will have to risk our lives. Anyone who wants to quit, speak now. I won’t tell you to cut off your fingers, so feel free.”

Then, three people hesitantly raised their hands. Zizek pointed from the left and asked.

“Are you leaving?”

“It’s not that. I have a question.”

“Let’s talk about that later. What about you?”

“I will retire.”

“Alright. You’ve worked hard. Go far away and live a new life.”

“…Thank you for everything.”

A man who was young but already had a wife and children bowed his head and left the room.

“Oh, then what about you?”

“Now that I think about it, I have no way to make a living if I leave. I’ll just stay.”

“That bland bastard.”

Zizek, shaking his head, asked the man on the far left again.

“So, what’s your question?”

“Specifically, what are we supposed to do now?”

“That was a good question, unlike you.”

Zizek nodded.

“There’s nothing to do immediately. Until Boss Karzan returns, we’ll clean up our mess and clear out the trash that’s cluttering the streets.”

“And then?”

“You know, there’s that one group I’ve been eyeing.”

Zizek’s gang had a belligerent rival organization in a nearby district that frequently caused trouble and picked fights.

“We do.”

“Have you forgotten my temper?”

“Of course not.”

Rob retorted.

“It’s quite… terrible.”

“Right. Once I’m set on something, I have to do it.”

Zizek took out a dagger and licked the blade.

“It needs to be oiled with blood. I’ll use this opportunity to take those bastards down and clean up the district.”

“Wow, awesome.”

“Are we going right now?”

“Not yet. We have time, so let’s make a plan.”

“Understood.”

“And you guys.”

Zizek pointed at his subordinates.

“Starting tomorrow, it’s hell training.”

“Huh?”

“After being utterly defeated by that man, I realized I’ve been too negligent with training. You guys shouldn’t be getting beaten up wherever you go, right?”

“No…”

“Shut up, and everyone, prepare to die. Today is your last vacation.”

“Hell naw, that’s too much.”

“I suddenly want to quit.”

“Shut your mouths.”

Zizek, dismissing his subordinates’ cries, stabbed the dagger into the desk.

“Zizek of yesterday is dead. I plan to be reborn as of today. You guys do the same.”

“……!”

It was the moment when a budding figure of the underworld encountered the catalyst named Karzan, began its powerful germination toward the world.

[Translator - Pot]

[Proofreader - Kawaii]