The Terminally Ill Young Master is the Mad Dog of the Underworld - Chapter 46
Chapter 46: Where Have You Been?
Somerset seemed to realize his mistake, quickly changed his expression and said.
“What of it? I have ears, so I’ve heard about it.”
“Oh, I see.”
I chuckled and replied.
“It looks like you are quite interested in me. Were you worried and keeping watch?”
“Stop talking nonsense.”
“Were you monitoring me then?”
“Why would I do that?”
“If not, were you checking if they were doing what you assigned them properly?”
Somerset’s expression hardened at my teasing.
“Are you interrogating me right now?”
“What would I be interrogating you about?”
“Who told you I gave anyone any orders?”
“I wouldn’t know that.”
I found Somerset’s attempts to intimidate me utterly ridiculous, as he tried to assert his authority.
‘Looks like he’s acting smug because he thinks there’s no evidence.’
But that doesn’t matter to me. If there were evidence, this wouldn’t be blackmail—it would be a legitimate accusation.
“About the prisoners.”
I said with a chuckle.
“They were terrified when they realized they’d touched the Young Master of Grunewald. A little sweet talk followed by a few hits, and they’d spill everything they knew.”
“…No way.”
Somerset’s expression twisted.
“Are you trying to extract false testimony?”
“Oh, come on. How could I?”
Despite my nonchalant tone, Somerset’s face was filled with rage.
“Try it if you can. If you can handle the consequences.”
“Wow- why are you so agitated? If you’re innocent, it shouldn’t matter, right?”
I smiled, deliberately poking at Somerset’s nerves.
“You call this talking? How dare you threaten me with false accusations!”
Somerset, unable to contain himself, stood up with a flushed face. Clearly, he was struggling to control his emotions.
“Sit down, brother.”
I said with a smile.
“Are you ordering me? Ever since earlier, you’ve been…”
His language was rough, but his eyes and actions lacked confidence. I understood exactly what this meant.
‘It’s just bluster.’
Something was making him nervous. My conclusion was that Somerset wasn’t deep enough to completely hide his true feelings.
‘No matter how I look at it, he seems to be the culprit.’
While I was uncertain before, now I was almost certain.
“Brother. Let me give you some advice. Carelessly joining hands with the underworld, using those people like tools – neither are good ideas.”
“…!”
“When a child recklessly swings a knife, adults stop them. Do you know why? Because they’re likely to get hurt. You would be wise to be cautious at this point.”
“What… What nonsense are you talking about?”
Somerset’s voice trembled slightly.
My absolute certainty made him look as if I definitely knew something.
At this point, I could see right through Somerset’s mind.
“If you want to wade into the shadows, do it discreetly. Otherwise, you’ll end up with a leash around your neck like this. Or you could just avoid the trouble entirely.”
“Shut up. What on earth are you rambling about?”
“Brother.”
I stood up. Though I hadn’t presented any concrete evidence, Somerset was already intimidated by my attitude alone.
Regardless of actual power dynamics, I now stood metaphorically above Somerset’s head.
‘Why did you do such a stupid thing? How convenient.’
“Today, I’ll let this slide.”
“?!”
“To be honest, I understand your intentions. You were just trying to play a mischievous prank. I’m sure you didn’t actually believe you could break through the Royal Guards, right?”
Somerset made no counterargument.
Either I had hit the nail on the head, or he was careful not to deny everything and risk losing the opportunity to be let off.
But he would certainly understand that his silence was tantamount to acknowledgement.
‘Pathetic fool.’
Just look at him, utterly helpless against his younger brother who has less martial skill and virtually no backing.
Compared to Verdzig, this man was lacking in every capacity. I’d heard his maternal side was also slightly inferior.
“But brother, you know how the world works. Blocking people’s mouths or erasing events requires appropriate compensation.”
A hundred emotions flashed across Somerset’s face. A desperate desire to grab the lifeline I’d extended, mixed with contempt for a younger brother trying to extort him.
“Please answer. My mouth is getting tired from talking alone.”
“…Allenvert.”
Somerset’s voice was weak.
“What exactly are you trying to say?”
“I’m asking you to show some goodwill, brother.”
I made a small circle with my thumb and index finger – a universally recognized gesture for money.
“Money is fine, spirit medicines would work too.”
“…”
I gently coaxed Somerset, who was deep in thought.
“Brother. I believe the most important thing between people is trust. Moreover, I don’t want to embarrass you as… you know… we are brothers and all. Wouldn’t it be more comfortable for you if I were to be silenced for it with a proper compensation, rather than just keeping quiet on an empty promise?”
Somerset’s ears perked up. I was about to drive in the final nail.
“If such a small sum, such little spirit medicine is too precious to you, then let’s forget it. I’m feeling offended and can’t do this. Peter, let’s go.”
“Wait!”
Got him.
“Hmmm?”
“…I’ll give it to you, so just go away.”
“Yes, of course. I’ll leave right away.”
I chuckled and offered my hand to Somerset for a handshake.
“Deal is done, brother.”
“Get lost.”
Somerset’s hand slicing through the air missed.
I had already withdrawn my hand after reading his intention.
“Please prepare the items quietly by tomorrow.”
“…”
Somerset sighed.
“Be more careful next time when you’re plotting something.”
“Just go already.”
“Pardon me.”
I bowed like a gentleman and left the reception room.
‘Received a mask from Verdzig, spirit medicines from Somerset.’
Now I’ve become a younger brother going around extorting his older brothers.
“Hehe.”
Who could possibly extort the second and third sons of the Grunewald clan? It was truly an extraordinary achievement.
“Young master.”
Peter whispered.
“Is it really okay to do this?”
“What’s not okay about it?”
“No, but still…”
“It’s a win-win. Somerset gets to cover up his foolish actions, and I receive appropriate compensation. What could be better?”
“But… you’re basically just blackmailing him.”
I corrected him.
“Let’s use the more elegant term ‘negotiation’ from now on.”
* * *
“Argh!”
Crash!
Somerset smashed all the furniture in the reception room before finally calming down.
“Damn brat.”
He felt pathetic about himself. Being extorted by such a person without being able to say anything.
‘What exactly did he do? Does he really have evidence?’
Rationally, it didn’t make sense. Didn’t his mother already cut off the tail?
But Allenvert’s confident attitude made him feel uneasy about simply dismissing it.
As a result, Somerset shamefully fell for Allenvert’s intimidation and got extorted. Where else in the world would such humiliation exist?
“Damn it.”
What made him even more furious was that he was secretly feeling relieved. His intuition was warning him that ‘if I push back now, things will get more complicated’.
“…What the hell is that guy?”
He had worried about things going wrong and being exposed, but he never imagined someone would come to extort him.
To Somerset, Allenvert was now an incomprehensible existence.
‘I should avoid getting involved with that guy for now.’
When one encounters true madness, one becomes inexplicably speechless. For the first time, Somerset was afraid of Allenvert…
* * *
“What? You went where and did what?”
Olivier, who had been working hard on cleaning up today’s mess, was dumbfounded upon hearing that Allenvert had gone to extort Somerset.
“I visited my brother Somerset.”
“Good grief.”
Olivier rubbed his glabella.
“Be careful. High blood pressure isn’t good for health.”
“…”
He just rolled his eyes in frustration, right?
“Young master.”
Olivier said in a serious tone.
“When performing any action, if you don’t explain your intentions, it’s difficult for your subordinates to understand your intentions.”
A fair point.
But Olivier would know that I don’t yet fully consider him my own.
“I will never do anything to harm you.”
Olivier spoke as if he knew my inner thoughts.
“So, would you not share with me the picture you are painting?”
Right now, Olivier is seeking trust from me, just as Peter came to show loyalty through the small trust I extended to him.
“Very well.”
Then it would be appropriate to respond to his sincerity. Perhaps the comfort young Allenvert once gave to Olivier had a greater impact than I could have imagined.
“As I said, I’ve thrown bait to those watching me. To create confusion so they cannot grasp my true intent.”
Olivier nodded.
“It seems successful. Everyone appears perplexed, unable to read your thoughts.”
“Fortunately.”
“I’m curious about the underlying purpose. The real objective you’re aiming to achieve amid this confusion.”
“…”
I chuckled softly.
“Did you notice?”
That the purpose I told Olivier wasn’t even my real purpose.
“Yes.”
I asked.
“What do you think about my real purpose?”
“…I’m not entirely sure. Wasn’t it to contact the survivors of the Eisenach?”
“That’s also correct.”
Avenging my maternal lineage was an unavoidable task to obtain the qualifications befitting an heir.
“But remember, I don’t typically move with just one goal.”
“…”
“And I apologize, but my true purpose will naturally become clear when the time comes.”
After neutralizing the Verdzig trap embedded in the Mask of Aminicrus.
“I see.”
Disappointment flickered across Olivier’s expression.
But I had no intention of revealing my plans simply because Olivier desired it.
‘Moreover, if I disclosed my true plan at this stage, he would surely try to stop me somehow.’
Just as I had not yet fully trusted Olivier—
Olivier might also try to obstruct or report to superiors if he judged the plan as reckless, rather than blindly supporting it.
“What do you think? Will Verdzig be able to discern my intention?”
As I shifted the conversation, Olivier pondered before responding.
“It would be difficult right now. Without Joseph’s information, we wouldn’t have known about the Eisenach survivors.”
“For now, it’s crucial that the clue about the mountain tribe’s spirit medicines doesn’t reach his ears.”
If that snake-like man obtains information about the Eisenach survivors, nothing good would come of it.
‘Joseph’s discretion is also a critical factor.’
Therefore, it would be best not to summon Joseph without special reason. A man like Verdzig could harbor suspicions from even the smallest piece of information.
‘The best way to disrupt information is to pour out more information like a mountain.’
Then, I’ll stir up more trouble. If only to divert Verdzig’s attention.
“…You’re not planning to cause another incident, are you?”
What a perceptive man.
———-