The Terminally Ill Young Master is the Mad Dog of the Underworld - Chapter 33

Chapter 33: Can’t I Even Burp?

The meal was quiet and calm. If it weren’t for the orchestra, the only sound would have been the clinking of utensils.

This place feels so desolate. Are they really a family?

“Barclava, it would be better to chew more quietly.”

“I’m sorry.”

Barclava hunched his shoulders at the reprimand from the Second Lady. Even the Third Young Master Somerset joined in the scolding.

“Barclava. What kind of behavior is that? Straighten your shoulders.”

“Yes, brother.”

Barclava replied with a meek expression.

‘Oh, look at that guy?’

He really can’t assert himself here. I gave Barclava a mocking look.

‘You’re the weakest, poor thing. How pathetic.’

Barclava bristled but kept his mouth shut, afraid of being scolded again if he spoke out.

“By the way, Karl, I heard you impressively wiped out the pirates the other day.”

Emengarde, the Second Lady, now turned to praise the crown prince. But her eyes didn’t smile.

“It was not that remarkable. The opponents were a ragtag bunch, so I was able to subdue them without much difficulty.”

“Your modesty is excessive. I’ve heard the tales of you single-handedly boarding the enemy flagship and beheading their leader.”

‘Oh, impressive.’

I contemplated and chewed my meat in silence.

‘So he has real combat experience too. But he doesn’t seem the type to recklessly charge into enemy territory alone…’

“I was also in awe of your exploits, brother.”

Second Young Master Verdzig also chimed in with a gentle tone.

“I’ve done similar things before, but I’ve never gone in alone like that. It’s an achievement not just anyone can accomplish.”

Was that a jab? To anyone listening, Verdzig’s inaction would seem more pronounced.

Sensing the subtext, Karl’s expression turned uncomfortable.

‘Interesting. They keep needling him without outright insulting him. What a loving set of brothers.’

In any case, Karl and Verdzig, who had come of age long ago, seemed to be actively engaged in external activities.

Participating in military operations like pirate suppression, no less.

‘Let’s see. Karl is in the knighthood, and Verdzig is in the Palace Guard, right?’

The two were commanders of a battalion each within those respective forces.

‘Father must have attached these loyal forces to them. Dividing military power between his sons to gauge their control…… A common tactic.’

Fundamentally, the power in the Grunewald was divided between the military and the bureaucracy. And within the military, there were two main pillars.

First, there was the ‘regular army’ centered around the officer corps and non-commissioned officers, maintaining about 30% strength in peacetime and then conscripting citizens in times of war.

‘But this side doesn’t have much real presence.’

It was more like a reserve force, maintaining the minimum strength to prepare for emergencies.

The other pillar was the ‘standing army’ – elite specialized units that maintained their numbers even in peacetime, each with their own duties.

Due to their nature, the standing army was inevitably smaller in number than the regular army.

‘Most of the military’s core must be composed of standing army members.’

The standing army included the Palace Guard, the Knighthood, the Special Operations Division, and the Border Guard.

According to Olivier’s explanation, excluding the Border Guard, the remaining three were considered the public face of the duchy’s military might.

‘The interesting part is that the Duke has given his sons different units to command, and there is an implicit hierarchy between those units.’

The Special Operations Division was a small and specialized unit. Ulbhild commanding it was partly due to her exceptional skills, but more so because she had no interest in the line of succession.

Therefore, to secure the actual line of succession, controlling the Palace Guard or the Knighthood was crucial. And based on yesterday’s observation, the Palace Guard soldiers seemed to be of a higher caliber.

‘Therefore.’

The status of the loyal forces also meant that Verdzig was ahead of Karl.

‘Subtle. Is this a meritocracy?’

If so, my father was a truly cold-blooded man. Then again, considering how he’s treated me and my mother, it’s not that surprising.

‘But the Knighthood isn’t some unit that bows to anyone either.’

The knights were mostly raised in noble families from a young age or were exceptional graduates of the Duchy’s training institutions.

Once formally invested as knights, they were recognized as minor nobles, so the scions of noble houses without inheritance rights and wealthy commoners were the ones who mainly enlisted.

‘Knights are usually the type who pursue their own pride or romance alongside being soldiers.’

The knights I encountered in my previous life were generally of that disposition.

But the Palace Guards were a rare sight. They were treated as VIPs wherever they went.

‘I see, even the duchy can have its own Palace Guard.’

Indeed, they had a presence far exceeding the other lesser nobles.

The Palace Guard was considered the elite of the elite in any kingdom, and the cost to train and maintain them was correspondingly high.

According to Olivier, they only accepted the best, regardless of background.

They were the mightiest shield protecting their master and their nation, and veteran troops who could be deployed on any mission.

‘There are basically two paths of recruitment.’

Either they would handpick the most outstanding candidates from the training institutions and groom them within the unit itself –

Or they would externally hire those who had distinguished themselves and whose skills had matured in other existing units.

‘It’s common for Knighthood members to join the Palace Guard, but the reverse is rare. That alone makes the hierarchy between the two clear.’

The Second Young Master commands a higher-ranked unit than the First Young Master. Enough to make the First Young Master feel inferior, no doubt?

‘I’d be pissed too if I were him.’

I observed the two men closely. One carried an air of inferiority, the other of superiority.

“To slay the pirate captain alone is truly remarkable, dear brother. How can you be so valorous?”

So I deliberately flattered Karl. He responded with a gentle smile.

“If you diligently hone the martial arts of Grunewald as I have, you could surpass even this brother in glorious exploits. To manifest sword aura in just a week after initiation is an achievement none of us could match.”

“I’m grateful for your kind words. I strive to at least follow in your footsteps.”

When the topic turned to martial arts, the usually disinterested Ulbhild suddenly interjected.

“Allen. Since we’re on the subject, this sister would like to instruct you in the sword.”

“……”

Why is she suddenly so interested? Is my talent that coveted? Her gaze reminded me of a private tutor.

“Though he’s my brother, I can’t bear to see such talent go to waste. It’s never too late to train properly. Even seven years of absence can be overcome with diligence.”

“That’s an extremely generous offer. But Father has not yet permitted me to train in swordsmanship…”

“Father? Why? For what reason?”

Ulbhild’s eyes widened as if she couldn’t believe it. She looked ready to confront Father right away.

“How would I presume to understand Father’s intentions? He must have his reasons.”

“Well, yes, but still…”

Ulbhild was visibly deflated and began to viciously cut her meat. Thick calluses dotted her long fingers.

‘Impressive. The hands of a swordmaster.’

Such calloused hands on a warrior were rare even in the underworld. It was a testament to her grueling training.

‘In any case.’

As planned, the First Young Master and the Young Lady had clearly taken a liking to me.

I’m the one who immediately got into a fight with the youngest and caused a commotion right after waking up. For all I know, there might have been talk of me having a fit.

‘With a guy like that being so deferential to the elder brother, how wonderful.’

Thinking back to Olivier’s story last night, I realized what Karl likely wanted most.

Was it money? Power? Honor?

No.

‘…The existence of younger siblings who revere and look up to him. In short, the recognition and respect from his younger siblings.’

Seeing it today, my analysis was spot on. His full-blooded sister Ulbhild neither respected nor feared him, and Somerset was never the type to look up to anyone.

As for Barclava, he was essentially Verdzig’s puppet, so there was nothing to be said there.

‘That leaves only me.’

Good. I’ll act out the respect you desire, Karl. I can be a sycophant whenever necessary.

‘By the way, Ulbhild has a rather intense gaze.’

In any case, she was recognized as capable enough to command one of the Special Operations Division’s units. That elite and unruly division, no less.

‘Even the name sounds suspicious. Special missions, huh?’

They definitely seem like a bunch of oddballs.

‘Of course, the Special Ops unit would suit my temperament the best.’

Next year, when I come of age, there’s a high chance I’ll either lead a unit or be assigned to one.

If I had to choose, I’d want to join the Special Ops. It would be good to cultivate a friendship with Ulbhild. At least for the time being.

‘How complicated.’

Anyway, through this gathering, I’ve clearly identified my most formidable rival.

‘Verdzig Grunewald.’

He possesses talents that rival the First Young Master and is undoubtedly the strongest among the young nobles of the same generation.

And he discreetly scrutinizes and needles his just-recovered younger brother, in a rather sinister manner.

‘It really reminds me of that guy.’

Just as I was reminiscing about the assassin king who had struck me from behind, Somerset provoked me.

“By the way, Allen. What’s with that rustic outfit?”

“Huh?”

I gave a response somewhere between annoyed and polite. Ambiguous enough for others to hear, but irritating for the recipient.

“Your face may be decent-looking, but your fashion sense is terribly provincial. If you go socializing in the circles with that kind of attire, it will bring shame to the family name, so be careful.”

Just as expected, a personal attack came.

The Third Lady also had a faint smile of amusement on her face. Looks like he recited what Mother told her to say. Oh dear, what a pathetic guy. How old is he and he’s still under his mother’s wing?

“It seems our dear brother holds the family’s honor in the highest regard.”

My response made Somerset’s brow furrow like a caterpillar.

“You insolent brat. What’s with that disrespectful tone?”

“The disrespectful one is you, brother.”

“What did you say?”

“This is the formal wear that father wore in his youth.”

“!”

“How dare you, brother? To mock father’s clothes as provincial? If you don’t like it, just say so. How can you, as his child, disgrace our father?”

Somerset was suddenly turned into a villain. He moved his lips in anger when the Third Lady Bianca intervened.

“Allenvert. Your words were too much, weren’t they? That wasn’t his intention.”

Seeing her son lose the verbal battle, Bianca appropriately stepped in.

I muttered in an annoying tone.

“Oh, I see.”

“You half-breed savage, how dare you…”

“Sister, your words are excessive.”

The First Lady Isabella rebuked her.

“Please refrain from such improper conduct and speech.”

“Sister, I apologize. I got a bit carried away.”

Of course, Lady Bianca did not offer me a single apology. Is disliking apologies a family trait of these people?

‘In that sense, Second Lady is as deep-hearted as her son.’

It was clear she disliked my mother, Lusatia, by the way, she had sent the tribute from mother’s enemies as a consolation gift. But she didn’t let it show at all in this setting.

Burp!

Ah, that’s right. Eating a meal in such an uncomfortable setting, I accidentally let out a burp without realizing it.

“Allenvert. Have you gone mad?”

This time, I had no rebuttal to Somerset’s scolding. I raised my hand in apology.

“I’m sorry.”

“……”

Then everyone, including Olivier and Peter, looked at me like I was a madman.

Why are they all acting this way? Can’t a person burp occasionally?

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