The Terminally Ill Young Master is the Mad Dog of the Underworld - Chapter 28
Chapter 28: Do You Resent Your Father?
Yesterday I surpassed the fourth level, and today after consuming elixir, I exceeded the fifth.
This was a pace that seemed excessive to achieve with just Karzan’s five senses and understanding alone.
‘This means the Allenvert bloodline’s talent itself is different from ordinary people.’
Growth can sometimes be slow like a turtle, but occasionally it can happen rapidly like this.
Thanks to this, my body and mana proficiency had already reached the latter half of 2nd tier.
‘It’s thanks to my body’s quality improving through intense training.’
While focusing solely on training without any distractions, it felt like I was quickly regaining the level my 17-year-old body should have reached originally.
Or perhaps it was because Karzan’s strong soul had returned to Allenvert’s weak body.
‘Perhaps it’s possible now…’
…Entering 3rd Tier.
“Peter.”
When I opened my eyes, the sun had already tilted considerably westward.
“Young Master!”
Peter asked in surprise.
“Are you alright?”
“Of course. How much time has passed?”
“About three hours.”
“No wonder I’m hungry.”
“Shall I prepare a meal?”
“No.”
Now wasn’t the time for that.
“Bring me a sword.”
“Yes, sir.”
Sensing the unusual atmosphere, Peter quickly ran to get a practice sword.
“Here it is.”
“Stand back.”
I picked up the sword.
The blade felt quite heavy after 17 years. I brought my face close to the blade’s surface, inhaling the nostalgic scent of steel, then lightly swung it through the air.
‘The balance is perfect. The handle is smooth and light.’
This is exactly what makes a good sword. It was far superior to the blades used by those thugs and mercenaries who make noise in the underworld.
‘If they can supply swords of this quality and use them merely for practice, just how strong must the martial arts of Grunewald be?’
I looked at the man’s eyes reflected in the sword. The eyeballs were Allenvert’s, but the gaze was Karzan’s.
‘Allenvert. Just as you long forgot Karzan, I too had forgotten your past.’
However now, albeit incompletely, I could peek into the joys and sorrows that Allenvert must have felt.
‘And so the fog of oblivion that covered us both has lifted. Truly, I have become you.’
I channeled mana refined through the Eternal Ocean Chain Technique into the sword.
Like opening a new waterway, or drilling a hole in a dam, the mana flowed in with a fierce momentum.
From high to low-
From filled spaces to empty ones.
When I flicked the blade’s surface with my finger, a clear sword ring arose.
Wooong!
The sword which was fully imbued with mana, gradually took on a white glow. And then…
“Ah!”
I laughed hearing Peter’s terrified scream.
“Hahaha.”
Sword energy. An ocean-like blue energy was shining brilliantly.
“Congratulations! Sword energy!”
“Shh, shh.”
I calmed down the excited Peter while exhaling through my nose.
“Throw that honey jar into the air.”
“Here!”
The honey jar Peter threw traced a parabolic arc through the air. I stepped forward with my left foot, and with relaxed shoulders, drew a single stroke through the air.
Swoosh!
The ceramic jar was cleanly cut in half and fell to the floor.
Crash!
The enemy’s tribute was shattered in vain.
I trembled recalling the sensation left in my grip.
‘Wow, such cutting power.’
The blade of energy forged through the Eternal Ocean Chain Technique was extremely solid and sharp, yet moved without resistance.
“Hehehehehe.”
How old was I in my previous life when I first awakened Sword energy? It was only possible after going through all sorts of hell.
“Everyone, witness this.”
I declared.
“I, Allenvert, have achieved the fifth realm of the Eternal Ocean Chain Technique, and by awakening Sword energy, have reached the entrance of 3rd tier.”
What level is 3rd tier?
The highest tier achievable by ordinary people.
A domain that talented martial artists need about 5 years of training to reach.
The power of a boss capable of leading a 5-star organization in the underworld, and the level of those close to being knighted. Isn’t that what 3rd tier represents?
Yet when Karzan’s talent met Allenvert’s body and Grunewald’s martial arts, such an amazing miracle occurred.
“Congratulations, Young Master!”
Behind the delighted Peter, I could sense the shock of those watching this scene.
‘Be even more amazed. Spread my reputation far and wide in your competition.’
I had no intention of hiding it.
Rather, the brilliant talent shown by the fourth young master who awakened from his fever would become my reputation and value.
‘…Though I’m not sure if my father will welcome the talents of a once-abandoned son.’
My heart grew cold.
‘Well, let me show you my worth, Father.’
While I understood Duke Georg, I felt I needed to ask him about his feelings face-to-face to be satisfied.
***
“So Allenvert has awakened Sword energy.”
“It was a very blue and brilliant energy, they say.”
On this day, Duke Georg Grunewald, the head of the clan, spoke in an emotionless voice upon hearing the news that had stirred up the Grunewald duchy.
“It seems his mental state has indeed changed significantly.”
“Olivier and I confirmed it ourselves.”
A change in mental state means nothing by itself. However, every move Allenvert showed was extraordinary.
“How many days has it been since he started training?”
“The fifth day.”
“He awakened Sword energy in less than 7 days?”
“It’s an unprecedented speed.”
The Duke showed no particular reaction to Aiden’s words.
“Any special circumstances?”
“Actually, this morning, the Second Lady sent an elixir as an apology. It seems to have shown its effects.”
“Elixir?”
“…It’s honey sent as tribute by the mountain tribes.”
“What a spiteful gift.”
The Duke wasn’t one to miss the intention.
“Though the young master scolded the maid thoroughly for revealing the intention, he still willingly accepted the gift.”
“Brazenly confident.”
The Duke commented.
“Even knowing it was meant as mockery, he swallowed it without hesitation and made it his own.”
This way, it was Emengarde who ended up looking foolish, not Allenvert.
“How did he think of such a response? That too is a talent.”
A talent that he hadn’t even taught.
“If Allen can awaken Sword energy on his own, it means he’s qualified to properly learn the sword.”
It was the moment Allenvert’s efforts bore fruit. The Duke expressionlessly commanded.
“Verify his progress and talent yourself.”
“Understood.”
Aiden bowed his head and thought.
‘Perhaps he intends to formally assign a swordsmanship instructor.’
Allenvert, who had suddenly begun to show his presence, was already creating ripples that were small but difficult to ignore.
Whether these ripples would eventually become a massive tidal wave or fade away like a stream remained to be seen.
After finishing afternoon training and before dinner, Aiden personally visited the Allenvert.
“Young Master. Congratulations on your achievement.”
“News travels fast indeed. Thank you.”
“How could we not know when you made the declaration yourself?”
“That’s true.”
Olivier personally brought tea.
“Thank you.”
“Have a pleasant conversation.”
Olivier added calmly as if indicating he would separate public from private matters.
“Then I shall take my leave.”
“This guy…”
I smiled seeing Aiden’s slightly disappointed expression.
“Perhaps you came to see your nephew rather than me?”
“I could say that was about 10% of my intention.”
“Oh, this is the first time I’ve heard you joking.”
Then I added.
“It was a joke, wasn’t it?”
“Haha. Yes, it was.”
Though Aiden had initially been suspicious and testing of me during our first meeting, his eyes had softened considerably thanks to my actions over the past few days.
Above all, sending his beloved nephew to me proved this. If he hadn’t trusted me, he would have stopped Olivier even if he volunteered.
However, I’m not one to get carried away by another’s quiet goodwill.
“You’ve grown a bit in just a few days.”
“That’s what happens when I eat well, exercise, and sleep properly.”
“That’s fortunate. Training the body is just as important as practicing mana cultivation techniques, though far more painful.”
“That’s very true.”
“These days, young people try to become strong only by consuming expensive elixir and practicing good mana cultivation techniques. But true strength can only be reached by not avoiding what’s difficult and uncomfortable.”
Aiden spoke like an old-fashioned elder. Since he actually was elderly, I just nodded.
“I agree with that.”
Besides, it wasn’t wrong. I’m no stranger to knowing that the path of martial arts is inherently old-fashioned.
“Thank you for listening. Usually people dismiss it as an old man’s spite.”
“I think it’s foolish for young people to blindly reject the words of elders.”
Aiden seemed to like that response.
“You speak just like Olivier. I can see why Ludan likes you.”
“Oh, is that so?”
“He’s so protective that he wouldn’t answer any questions at all when I tried to inquire about you.”
It was a probing attack. After all, he was telling me directly that he had tried to investigate me.
“You needn’t have wasted the effort. You could have just asked me directly.”
I smoothly deflected it. If it had been Barclava instead of me, he would have gotten angry or shown displeasure.
“Ludan has been the type to never say a word even when I frequently visited him for snacks since childhood. He has no reason to do anything that would harm me.”
Aiden’s gaze changed slightly at my calm response.
“It seems quite a lot of your memories have returned.”
“Perhaps.”
I gave an ambiguous answer. It’s better to keep what I know and don’t know shrouded in mist.
“How disappointing. Didn’t you say to ask you directly?”
“Ah, that’s true.”
As if to show he hadn’t come for meaningless wordplay, Aiden changed the subject.
“I heard you reached the fifth level of the Eternal Ocean Chain Technique. It seems the elixir helped.”
“Ah, you mean that honey?”
I smirked.
“It was terribly sweet. In the last lesson, I learned that flattery sweet to a ruler’s ears is the poison that corrupts a nation. It seems to mean that sweetness itself can become poison, and I’ve confirmed that saying was indeed correct.”
This was an analogy showing I understood the mockery contained in the elixir.
Of course, Aiden wasn’t surprised. The words I spoke to the maid must have reached his ears as well.
“The Master also said it was a spiteful gift when he heard about it.”
“That’s unexpected. I thought Father would have no feelings about it at all.”
When I showed my unfavorable attitude toward Father, Aiden asked directly.
“Do you resent your father?”
“As my mother’s son, that would be natural, wouldn’t it?. However-”
Looking into Aiden’s eyes that were curious about what answer would come, I said.
“If I didn’t understand that as the ruler of the duchy and head of House Grunewald, Father has always made inevitable choices while weighing between two options, that would be childish.”
“……”
Perhaps he hadn’t expected such a cold and resolute answer. Aiden fell silent for a moment.
“I understand that this is a heavy matter, too grave to judge hastily without knowing all the intimate details. However, if there’s a debt of blood I must repay or a truth I must uncover…”
I looked at Aiden with a steady gaze.
“…I have no intention of shirking my duty.”
“You’ve surprised this old man more than once.”
Aiden’s expression seemed somewhat complicated.
“I would like nothing more than to defend my master on his behalf, but I’ll keep my mouth shut.”
He was telling me to find out on my own. Another trial of my worthiness as an heir, then.
“That was my intention from the beginning.”
We adeptly understood each other’s unspoken meanings.
Some conversations aren’t completed by words alone.
“Speaking of which, I suppose I owe you an explanation regarding the matter with Barclava. His behavior was disgraceful, so I saw fit to reprimand him.”
“As his elder brother, you did what you ought to.”
Aiden’s attitude made it clear he didn’t see it as an issue.
It only emphasized how lowly regarded and insignificant Barclava was.
‘Pitiful fool.’
“Well then, I assume you know why I’ve come to see you?”
“Who knows? I’m no prophet.”
I played humble.
“In that case, allow me to be clear.”
The butler looked me squarely in the eye.
“The fact that you managed to reach Sword energy within a week of beginning your training is truly unprecedented. Therefore, I wish to verify your achievement with my own eyes.”
“And how would you like me to do that?”
“Show me your Sword energy, here and now.”
I let out a small chuckle.
Of course, there wasn’t a simpler or more direct way.
Very well, then—I’ll show this man just how sharp and unyielding the blade within my heart truly is.
———