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HELHEIM SCANS
[Translator - Pot]
[Proofreader - Kawaii]
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Chapter 106: To Think I'd Hear Such Ridiculous Story
"What are you talking about?"
"I told you, I don't care what you say about me behind my back."
Verdzig looked surprised, as if he hadn't expected me to react this way.
"Are you perhaps giving up?"
"Hardly."
I'm sorry, but Verdzig had the wrong idea about me.
'And quite drastically so.'
If I decide to play hardball, no one can threaten me. Even if the Dark King brought all his lackeys, he couldn't force me to bow my head.
Deductions? Suspicions? Filthy connections with the underworld? So what? I'm not the type to back down because of such paltry threats.
'From the start, someone who fears a knife in their own gut shouldn't try to stab others.'
In more sophisticated terms, this could be called mutually assured destruction.
And in this realm of sheer guts, I was confident that Karzan, who had roamed the underworld, was far more ruthless than Verdzig.
'Let's say I'm in a situation where I can barely cut off an enemy's wrist at the cost of losing my own limbs.'
Should I then be more afraid?
'No.'
Either way, losing a wrist means becoming crippled. The wise way to deal with a rabid dog that clings to your wrist, ready to give up its own limbs, is to retreat first, not to bite back.
'People are more affected by the potential harm they themselves might suffer than the harm they might inflict on others.'
I know. I know that to Verdzig, Gemini is nothing more than a disposable pawn.
But what if a man of Grunewald's Young Masters started a dogfight over Gemini?
"Brother, do you know why brother Somerset gave me the potion?"
"I know."
Verdzig nodded.
"Then this will be quick. Was Gemini's refusal to confess really a problem for me?"
Of course not, I said.
"I can just forge it. Or, shall I be even more ruthless?"
I pointed to the teacup.
"What if we poisoned Gemini and then loudly proclaimed that another assassination had taken place within Grunewald Castle?"
"……."
At my warning, Verdzig's eyebrows twitched.
'You have greatly underestimated me, brother.'
I am different from the other brothers.
If he interpreted my silence as setting a limit of 'not wanting to escalate things further,' then that is a grave misjudgment on Verdzig's part.
"Until now, I have remained silent out of respect for you, but if you do not respect me, then I have no choice. I will go to the Head Butler right away and complain, and I will appeal to the Elders."
I looked directly at Verdzig and continued.
"I will go with Jeffrey to the Third Battalion of the Royal Guards. I will remind them of the anger and dishonor they suffered, and I will cleverly weave it together to stir up public outrage as a problem for all of us."
Verdzig's eyes were as deep and calm as a lake. Without bothering to guess what he was thinking, I threw a large stone onto its surface.
"Then which will have more power? 'An unsubstantiated, absurd suspicion' or a 'substantiated, reasonable suspicion'?"
Ripples spread across the lake.
"Interesting."
Verdzig simply replied. He probably knew that the guy he'd been watching was more than capable of doing such a thing.
'Remember. This is the time-honored strategy of the mad dog.'
No matter how reasonable and intelligent a man is, he is bound to be flustered when a crazed dog foams at the mouth and barks. Why risk getting bitten and contracting rabies?
"You suspect a dirty collusion with the underworld? Then suspect as much as you like."
I spread my arms wide.
"But Brother, you don't even properly know what I've been doing in the underworld, do you?"
Verdzig has no way of knowing whether I'm trying to build power or seeking forces to cooperate with.
In that case, I should naturally take advantage of this confusion.
"After failing to find evidence that I'm involved with the underworld, I find it rather excessive of you to turn around and accuse me like this."
Verdzig listened to my words calmly, with an inscrutable smile.
"Brother, you have achieved your current status by sometimes using your skills, sometimes using power and fear to control people. But what if that authority wavers? What if those who knelt before you are given a chance to use their silver tongues to expose the weak points of a giant and strike with an axe?"
I asked.
"Can you sew shut all of their mouths?"
The smile disappeared from Verdzig's lips.
"As you know, bluster and threats don't work on everyone."
Before I knew it, Verdzig was looking at me with frighteningly cold and composed eyes.
"Allenvert, you are quite bold."
Now, let's hear what this man has to say.
"But have you not considered this possibility?"
"What do you mean?"
"What if I highly value your dangerous potential? What if I judged that it's better to bring you down now, regardless of the cost?"
"Even so, I don't have much to lose."
I shrugged and replied.
"What does it matter if I get caught up in some scandal?"
"That's not it."
Verdzig snapped his fingers.
"You have the talent to potentially stand against me, and thanks to your position as Young Master of Grunewald, you are receiving exaggerated expectations. But you, having lost all of that—"
His finger pointed at my chest.
"—are merely a diminutive boy who wears excessive self-confidence like a crow decked out in peacock's feathers."
If that happens, you will lose your greatest weapon, Verdzig said.
'Quite a pointed remark.'
But even those sharp words do not chill my heart.
"That is only half true."
Because.
"Even if I lose everything, I am confident that I can start again."
I had already lost everything that Karzan had built once.
But look at the position that Allenvert, who had fallen behind in the succession race due to seven years of seclusion, had reached alone in that short time.
"Preposterous. You, born as Young Master of Grunewald, can you imagine a life without the shade of the family and clan?"
Verdzig asked as if it were unthinkable, but for me, it is the truth.
"If it sounds like boasting, I have no intention of persuading you."
"Haha!"
Verdzig laughed again.
"I will admit it. You are already a man who has earned the right to contend with me for the position of successor."
"……."
'Hearing that makes my heart sink again.'
It is human nature to sometimes want to downplay oneself when the other party overestimates you too much. More than anything, I don't want to receive Verdzig's sincere wariness already.
"I would appreciate it if you could let your guard down, just a little."
"Now you say that?"
Verdzig chuckled and said.
"But you are quite something. If you were to propose a suitable compromise, I would be willing to consider it."
Even in this situation, he maintains his superior attitude.
But it was also true. The important thing now was that Verdzig had shown his willingness to negotiate with me.
"Brother. Let's drop this matter altogether and treat it as a misunderstanding."
"Do you have a specific plan in mind?"
"Of course."
We lightly tapped our cooled teacups together, as if they were wine glasses.
"From now on, I will tell you my thoughts."
Verdzig agreed.
"Let's hear it."
***
"First, let's summarize the situation. You received Evan Bergen from your maternal clan regarding the assassination of the thugs who attacked me in broad daylight, within the Royal Guard's prison."
Verdzig affirmed my words.
"Indeed."
"I don't know if he was the real culprit. However, one thing I do know is that both the instigation of the attack on me and the instigation of the assassination of the prisoner are situations that make it quite easy to suspect you as the mastermind. Brother Somerset's name has already disappeared from people's lips."
Verdzig slightly clicked his tongue.
"I won't deny it."
"Therefore, let's connect these two events."
"Hmm?"
Verdzig tilted his head.
"As the Commander of a battalion within the Royal Guards, and as Allenvert's brother, you could not tolerate the continuous attempts by outside forces. Just as you resolutely revealed the wrongdoings of your maternal clan..."
I recited the story without even wetting my lips.
"This time as well, you could not suppress your indignation at what happened in my annex, and you personally came to deduce the culprit."
"And then?"
"While discussing it together, you and I come to realize an astonishing fact."
Verdzig leaned towards me.
"What could that astonishing fact be?"
"Gemini's backer was an unexpected third party."
"Absurd."
Verdzig laughed. Well, that's because he is the culprit. But I spoke without paying him any mind.
"And so, we decide to join hands to use her as a double agent to find out the backer."
"Just who is this backer?"
"A common enemy that Grunewald recognizes, and a force that everyone would readily suspect. A force that wouldn't seem strange to be pointed out as a suspect."
I spoke, recalling the conversation I had during my first lesson with the tutor.
"We will point the finger at the Flanders, who are also our sworn enemies."
This also represented my desire for revenge against the Dark King, who rules both day and night in Flanders.
"Ah..."
Verdzig shook his head with a face mixed with laughter.
"To think I would hear such a ridiculous story from your mouth."
But it didn't seem to sound like a completely absurd delusion.
"Allenvert. Are you planning to deceive father?"
"Father will easily see through our little performance."
I replied.
"Rather, what we should be worried about is how Father will evaluate our handling of this situation in this way."
"You speak as if you know Father very well."
"Because I am his son."
Considering the tragedy that occurred between us seven years ago, those were words that shouldn't have been easily uttered.
That's why Verdzig's smile was enigmatic.
"…Now that I see it, you also have the qualities of a politician."
Is that so? Perhaps it's possible.
"What should we do with Gemini?"
"Send her far away to a foreign land."
I answered.
"So that there's no worry of her speaking, and this matter will be buried forever."
"Hahahaha! You are quite kind."
Verdzig burst into laughter at my suggestion to even spare the spy who targeted him.
"But it won't be easy."
"I know."
In truth, from my perspective, there's no reason to spare Gemini's life at all.
'It would be right to eliminate the evidence by killing her or quietly executing her.'
I don't know how Father will accept this decision. If he sees it as overly lenient and weak, it will become my weakness.
However, I didn't resent Gemini. She had no choice but to become a weapon used against me to ensure her and her family's survival. Instead, I directed my resentment towards Verdzig, the one who controlled and manipulated her.
"I will send the Head Butler to discuss the details later. I will return for today."
"Understood."
Verdzig, who had risen from his seat, pointed at me.
"Today has truly been an unexpected development. It was an enjoyable time."
"Is that so? I feel completely drained."
"If nothing else, you are truly skilled at bluffing."
Verdzig smiled as if he knew my true intentions.
"Well, if you truly secure solid evidence later, then please come back and try to put a leash on me."
"That wouldn't be so bad."
Verdzig will continue to closely track what I'm trying to do in the underworld.
But it's alright. I have already prepared contacts so that I can communicate even without going there myself.
'It would have been dangerous if it was a little later.'
As Verdzig left, I felt as if the presence that had filled the reception room had vanished in an instant.
"Hoo."
Just like how thick smoke instantly escapes through a window, my tension also vanished in an instant.
"Wow, I was sweating bullets."
Only then did I realize that my back was damp.
'…I somehow managed to resolve it well.'
Regardless of how it looks from the outside, I could confidently evaluate this result as close to my victory.
'Not only did I hold my own against Verdzig, but I even achieved a dramatic settlement.'
In the end, instead of drawing daggers from our bosoms, we shook hands and parted ways.
I cannot know how Father will evaluate this matter. But if it's the Father I understand, he would never give me a failing grade.
'But that man is truly not easy to deal with.'
He ultimately accepted that he had yielded in this matter and strategically suffered a loss, but he didn't newly assert his pride or feel regretful about it. That's not an easy thing to do.
'He simply acted as if pieces are sometimes captured when playing chess. An attitude as if it has no bearing on the grand game.'
That composure, rather, came to me as great pressure.
…Because that was the truth.
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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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