The Terminally Ill Young Master is the Mad Dog of the Underworld
Chapter 280

[Translator - Pot ]

[Proofreader - Kawaii ]

Chapter 280: The Resolve to Stand Alone

We returned to Grunewald Castle to an enthusiastic welcome.

"You've worked hard, Allen."

"Young Master. You've accomplished another amazing feat as always."

Mother and the head butler warmly welcomed me back.

"Allen, I heard about it. The enemy used a terrifying demonic art called Blood Forest Abyss Art, didn't they?"

"Yes."

"How were the Four Heavenly Kings' martial arts?"

"Not particularly impressive. However, there were some points worth studying in how they combined wind and poison arts, and merged swordsmanship with assassination techniques to fight two against one..."

"Hmm, I see. I wish I could have been there."

Rudgarda comforted the disappointed Ulbhild.

"Young Lady, don't worry. I watched the entire process, so later through sparring matches..."

"Ah, that's a good idea."

Nearby, the retainers who had gathered around welcomed me.

"Young Master!"

"My lord!"

Peter and Julia, the two children, came running over in a rush.

"Oh, Peter, welcome back."

I carefully observed Peter, who seemed to have grown a bit taller in the short time I hadn't seen him.

"You seem to be getting taller lately? Are your knees hurting at all?"

"Huh? How did you know? I have been feeling that way sometimes."

"Growing pains. At this rate, won't you end up taller than Jeffrey?"

"Come on, surely I won't grow that much?"

Jeffrey, who had been listening nearby, snorted.

"Jealous of a kid? How immature."

"Aren't you still young yourself, Young Master?"

"That's true enough."

I whispered to Peter.

"How's your family doing?"

"Everyone's doing really well. Especially Bridge—Butler Olivier has been giving her special books, and they say she's learning incredibly fast."

"Good. Everyone's been doing well on their own even when I wasn't around."

I looked at Olivier.

"Excellent. You truly have the makings of a future head butler."

"You're too kind."

Olivier bowed lightly, then looked at Jeffrey.

"Jeffrey, you look like you've had a rough time?"

Jeffrey let out a deep sigh.

"Don't even mention it. Hell itself couldn't have been worse than that place. Though I do feel like I've gotten stronger because of it."

Recently, with all the fighting against strong opponents, Jeffrey's opportunities to step forward had decreased, but given more time, he would undoubtedly reach great heights with his martial talent.

'Of course, if the Black Society wins, it'll all be over anyway.'

In that sense, I was still living on borrowed time in some ways.

'...I can't die to the same bastard twice.'

On the way back to the annex, I asked Olivier.

"How are things in the underworld?"

Olivier, who had used the Borgart clan's influence to establish connections with the underworld, lowered his voice as he answered.

"All is well. Not only well, but..."

What followed quite surprised me.

"What did you say?"

***

After a long time, I took on Karzan's appearance and headed to the underworld.

"Good job, good job. Were you sleeping well?"

"What? Which bastard is - Boss?!"

Zizek, who had been sleeping with his feet up on his office desk, woke up in surprise.

"When did you get here?"

"I came today."

"Well, I know that. You had that whole victory parade making all that noise."

"So the fame of this Allenvert Grunewald has reached even these back alleys."

"Please don't use that face to promote the Young Master. I can't get used to it every time I see it."

"Shut up, you ugly bastard. How dare you criticize anyone?"

"Why are you insulting my looks?"

I opened the window and entered the office.

"Anyway, I heard the story. The Black Society got completely destroyed?"

"Yes, we were shocked too."

"What happened?"

"The Second Young master Verdzig took action himself. We went to see the scene the next day, and it was really destroyed as if a tsunami had hit it."

"Nothing happened to your side?"

"No. We even gave a subtle heads-up to the Godfather of the Red Mist Alliance who had gone out. We told them the Black Society would be attacked that night, so they should act as usual."

"...I see."

I crossed my arms.

"This is an unexpected development."

"What do you think the reason was, Boss? Lord Balthazar said 'the Second Young master didn't cross the final line.'"

"He's right."

Should I call this a pleasant miscalculation?

I hadn't expected the three-way balance I'd created to prevent reckless actions by Verdzig and the Black Society to develop this way.

"...In some ways, I owe Brother Verdzig a debt."

"A debt?"

"He didn't attack the weak link while I was away."

I pointed at Zizek.

"If he could instantly annihilate the 8th branch, depending on where he turned that blade, you all could have been massacred."

"...That's true."

With this turn of events, whoever wins will gain control of the underworld as well. Since we all preserved our shadow forces intact.

'We'll truly see the birth of a king who rules both day and night of Grunewald.'

"But Boss, what happens now?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, you know, the succession struggle and whether you plan to finish things with the Black Society..."

"I'll finish both."

I nodded.

"But the method must be Grunewald's way."

It didn't seem like the time to draw the shadow's blade yet. Especially after hearing about Verdzig's moves.

"Zizek, I need to go now."

"Already? Everyone's been waiting for you to come."

"I just came to check if everything was okay. I have somewhere urgent to go. Let's talk in detail later."

"Wait a minute!"

I jumped back to the window, then spread my black wings and flew up to the rooftop.

"What the hell? Are you flying right now?"

"Cool, right? It's a new technique I developed."

Like a bird, or like a winged angel, I soared above the clouds.

'...Indeed, Grunewald's back alleys have never been this quiet.'

Even the black market seemed to have suspended operations, and perhaps due to the Black Society's absence, even the night's residents felt like they were holding their breath, waiting for the storm to pass.

'As expected, these underworld bastards have the survival instincts of weeds.'

I chuckled and expanded my spiritual awareness widely.

'There you are.'

I spotted Skella's blood bat keeping watch over the underworld from outside the realm of perception and landed beside it.

"Skella."

The bat turned to look at me slowly, as if this was no longer surprising.

[My lord, it's been a while. You seem to have learned a new skill.]

"Struggling to survive led to creating something. You seem to have been busy lately too?"

[Not as busy as you, my lord.]

I thought of Skella's cold eyes and beautiful face, and Verdzig's obsession.

'If Verdzig is truly changing...'

Would it be possible for him to let go of his obsession with Skella?

"This might just be my own thinking, but I feel we're in a relationship where we can trust each other to some degree."

The bat replied calmly.

[That's not wrong.]

I spoke directly.

"Then I'd like to exchange some information."

[...What kind of information are you referring to?]

"You probably know roughly what happened at Marquis Belorok's castle this time?"

[Yes.]

"Do you know there are remnants of the Black Society who fled the battlefield?"

Skella was silent for a moment before replying.

[I didn't know that much.]

"I captured those remnants as prisoners. They were the Black Society's execution squad - quite strong."

[!]

Skella showed surprise.

[You captured them, my lord? That couldn't have been easy.]

"Not me. Brother Karl."

[What happened? I'm even more puzzled.]

Having successfully aroused Skella's curiosity, I cast my bait.

"Brother obtained information from the prisoners. I'll share this with you."

[......]

The bat tilted its head. Rather cute, considering.

[What do you want to know in exchange for such information?]

It was an attitude of judging after hearing. Cautious, Skella.

"Well, that is..."

***

"Haha! So that's what happened. Young Master Allen carried you like a princess?"

Duke Valkenhain burst into laughter upon hearing his daughter's heroic tale.

"Who else could carry the great Siena Valkenhain like that?"

"Don't tease me."

"Haha, sorry about that."

The Duke seemed very pleased with the ending of the tale he'd heard with such worry.

"You and the Young Master joined forces to defeat him, a demon wielding terrifying blood arts! Truly an achievement that will be passed down through the ages."

"You're really amazing, sister."

Jillian was also listening to his sister's story with pure, age-appropriate innocence for once today.

"So have you broken through to the 7th tier?"

"Not quite that far, but if I break through the wall just once more, it should be possible."

"The word genius isn't enough to describe you."

"There are people like Young Master Allen, so I'm not quite at that level."

Duke Valkenhain, who had been quietly listening to his children's conversation, asked.

"But Siena."

"Yes, Father."

"I'm going to ask you a very important question as both your father and head of the clan."

"...Please ask."

Siena straightened up at her father's serious expression.

"Do you perhaps harbor feelings for Young Master Allen?"

"...!"

Siena's eyes shook far more violently than when she had witnessed Gelberich's demonic arts.

"Well, I mean, as a colleague and warrior, I have sufficient respect..."

"So you don't? Then should I look for another marriage prospect right now?"

"Ahem."

Siena said in a barely audible voice.

"That's not it."

"Hahaha!"

The Duke roared with laughter at his daughter's rare display of cuteness.

"No way. That pretty boy becoming my brother-in-law?"

Only Jillian was dismayed by this hard-to-accept reality.

"...If you can't beat them, join them. That's also a kind of strategy."

The Duke muttered quietly.

"Father, did you say something?"

"Nothing at all."

The Duke waved his hand dismissively.

'But if those two get together, whether it's a son or daughter, the most adorable child on the continent will be born.'

A child with Allen's face mixed with Siena's? It would be a baby so lovely that even a sculpture couldn't capture it.

"Hehehe."

Duke Valkenhain was unusually clan-oriented among nobles and wanted to see his grandchildren soon.

'I should send a subtle message to the Black Serpent Duke.'

"If the Young Master loses in the succession struggle, bringing him in as a son-in-law wouldn't be bad either."

Siena sighed and cut off her father's fantasies.

"Let's stop here for today."

"Shall we?"

***

Somerset was on his way back from meeting his mother, Bianca.

"Sigh..."

He couldn't help but sigh. His mother's will was so stubborn - no matter how much he pleaded, it was like reading scriptures to deaf ears.

But he wasn't in a position to call anyone else frustrating.

'My chest feels completely blocked.'

Looking back, he didn't even have proper retainers of his own.

Since they were all people assigned by the Agrippa clan from the beginning, if he had to count people he could call his own, he couldn't even use all five fingers.

But he couldn't blame anyone else. Wasn't it he himself who had lived like a scoundrel, drowning in alcohol, wielding violence, and acting irresponsibly?

'...Why did I live so pathetically?'

Regretting it now wouldn't change anything.

Somerset, who had been sighing deeply enough to sink the ground, looked toward Allen's annex.

'First, I should at least bow my head to Allen.'

But seeing his mother's attitude - instead of reflection or regret, she harbored even more venom...

Even if he were Allen, he didn't think he could forgive such shameless defiance.

"Young Master Somerset."

Just then, a voice he hadn't heard in a long time called out to him.

"Hmm?"

Turning his head, he saw a deputy from the Security Guard looking at him.

"Ah... it's you."

"It's been a while, Young Master."

Somerset scratched his head, feeling embarrassed.

"It has been."

It had been a long time since Somerset had performed his duties as commander of the Security Guard.

"What's the matter?"

"I didn't come to see you about any particular matter."

The deputy hesitated for a moment before speaking.

"I heard you've changed a lot lately. That you're devoted to training. I was wondering if you had any thoughts of returning..."

Those words hit Somerset like a blow to the head.

'...That's right.'

He had a place to return to as well.

But.

"What shame do I have to go back? I'm a commander who abandoned his unit."

"Well, honestly speaking..."

The deputy thought for a moment, then spoke with an expression of 'what the hell.'

"You're still our commander. That's all."

"...I suppose so."

What bond could remain between them? Normally he would have been angry, but Somerset couldn't bring himself to be angry at his subordinate's almost rude directness.

"...Hmm, you really have changed."

"Do I seem that way? I might just be dying embers on the verge of being extinguished."

Somerset spoke self-deprecatingly.

"That's not the case."

The deputy bowed his head.

"I was just being rude. But as long as you are our commander, if you return and fulfill your duties, we will gladly serve you with complete loyalty."

"..."

Somerset didn't know what to say and looked down at his feet. He felt shameless and embarrassed, but also inexplicably moved.

"Would it really be okay for me to do that?"

"Of course. I've been handling the acting duties meanwhile, so there haven't been any major problems."

"Thank you."

Somerset looked at the deputy's face and thought for a moment before speaking.

"...Akram."

That was the deputy's name.

'Right, even when the tide goes out and takes all the sand, a handful of sand remains.'

Somerset spoke with the feeling of embracing that handful of sand.

"I'm sorry, for many things."

He suddenly remembered the head butler's words.

'Could you live apart from the clan?'

It certainly wouldn't be easy. But wasn't he already a grown man who had completed his coming-of-age ceremony?

'I need to become independent. I have the retainers Father left me.'

...However, he didn't intend to completely abandon his maternal clan either.

Somerset's back had become as firm as a rock with his newfound resolve.

[Translator - Pot ]

[Proofreader - Kawaii ]