The Terminally Ill Young Master is the Mad Dog of the Underworld - Chapter 61

Chapter 61: A Clever Double Life

After a long day, I returned to my place and washed up.

“Young Master, today’s events are bound to shake the duchy once more.”

Olivier said, his face alight with excitement.

“Indeed.”

“This is unprecedented. Young Lady Ulbhild has always drawn a clear line, even with her full-blooded brother, Young Master Karl. For someone like her to show such goodwill—it will surely leave a strong impression on others.”

“In summary, you’re saying that sycophants might start lining up to curry favor, aren’t you?”

“At the very least, no one will dare take you lightly anymore.”

“That’s a welcome change.”

“About Young Lady Ulbhild…”

“Yes?”

“She’s truly an extraordinary warrior.”

“And yet, you displayed equally remarkable talent before her, didn’t you, Young Master?”

I chuckled, slightly embarrassed. Seeing Olivier so animated today was a rare sight.

“You have even learned to flatter.”

“I’m making an effort.”

He replied with a sly grin.

“Oh, so that’s what this is about.”

I said, enjoying the banter. This is exactly the kind of atmosphere I’d hoped for. Now that I think about it, Olivier’s usually rigid demeanor seemed far more relaxed than usual.

“Do you think Keseg might feel relieved once word of today’s events spreads?”

“Ah, you’re right. Young Lady Ulbhild essentially proved that it wasn’t his incompetence alone that led to his failure.”

“Though, to be clear, that fool is still incompetent.”

“Indeed.”

He’s probably enduring hellish reprimands from his superiors right about now. After all, he’s disgraced the name of the Royal Guards.

‘One should always choose their battles wisely.’

“Peter.”

I called out.

“Yes, sir?”

“Bring me the potion.”

“Ah! Right away!”

My work wasn’t done yet. It was time to take the miraculous potion I’d pried from Somerset.

“Olivier, you can take a rest for the day as well.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes. You’ve got tasks to handle tomorrow, don’t you?”

“…That’s true, but still.”

“If anything happens, I’ll call for you, so don’t worry.”

“Understood.”

I moved toward the window, gazing at the star-filled night sky. A thought crossed my mind: perhaps someone’s eyes were watching me even now.

Was it mere paranoia? Or the sharp intuition honed over a lifetime?

Either way, it didn’t matter. I would act as though I were being observed, and this narrow cage would no longer be able to hold me.

‘Keep your necks clean, you bastards. Mad Dog Karzan will return.’

I thought of the Dark King, his toad-like henchman, and Ivan.

I also thought of Allenvert’s biological mother and her family, whose faces I had yet to see.

‘Revenge need not always be bloody and destructive.’

Still, the path toward the beacon of vengeance would surely be stormy.

To weather that journey, I would need an unbreakable sail and the strength to row against any tide.

‘I owe Sister a debt of gratitude.’

But there remained one secret so profound that even Ulbhild herself couldn’t possibly imagine it—

Tonight, using her teachings and Somerset’s gift, I planned to finally surpass the barrier of the 4th-tier.

It was a symbolic milestone, marking the point where mana could be freely unleashed. Once that was achieved, my preparations to escape this cage would be nearly complete.

***

It seemed Somerset found me intimidating.

‘I didn’t expect to receive such a powerful elixir.’

If something of this caliber were put up for auction in the underworld, it would undoubtedly steal the spotlight that day.

“Fortune favors me.” I muttered.

With great effort, I controlled the overflowing torrent of mana surging through me. Several cycles of mana circulation were necessary to manage the immense mana reserves.

‘I almost suffered from mana deviation.’

If not for Ulbhild’s guidance earlier, I might have wasted an enormous amount of mana during this process.

‘But that’s no longer an issue now.’

Sweeping away the stagnant energy lurking in my meridians like toxins, I expanded my mana channels and enhanced the overall capacity of my body.

It felt as though I was steering a small boat down a river swollen from a flood. Yet, I was no amateur boatman—I navigated with skill and precision.

“Fuuuuu…”

The breath I exhaled was unusually long. When I opened my eyes, it felt as though I’d awakened from a deep slumber. My vision was clearer than ever.

‘How much time has passed?’

The moon hung lower in the sky, indicating the passage of several hours.

I gathered mana at my fingertips. A soft, blue aura glimmered like the gentle light of a lantern. By its glow, I looked into the mirror.

“Wow.”

Tonight, my eyes appeared bluer than usual. Originally a deep blue, they now gleamed with the hue of the Eternal Ocean Chain Technique aura, which had also manifested.

Eyes reflecting the color of one’s aura—a hallmark of the 4th-tier. Similar to the outward projection of sword energy, it was a symbolic achievement.

‘So this is what they call Powerhouse.’

The 4th-tier is commonly recognized as the realm of elite warriors. Achieving this level signifies the ability to project one’s sword energy, a feat that places one among the finest martial artists.

By Grunewald standards, this would rank me alongside members of the Royal Guard or lesser knights.

‘Of course, there’s a difference between just entering the 4th-tier and reaching its peak.’

Most Royal Guards had surpassed the initial stages of the 4th-tier, making them a half-step superior to ordinary knights.

‘In the underworld, this would place me as the leader or a senior executive of a 3rd rate organization.’

Such a position would command respect and control over a considerable territory—a significant level of power.

“Incredible. Reaching the 4th-tier in less than a month since starting martial arts?”

Who would believe it? Anyone hearing of this would dismiss it as the result of meticulous preparation during my years of seclusion.

‘If they think that, all the better for me.’

After all, I couldn’t exactly explain that Karzan, the swordsman who wandered the underworld of the distant Flanders Kingdom, had died and reincarnated as Allenvert Grunewald, Young Master of a grand duchy.

And even more absurdly, that Karzan had lost his memories for 17 years, only to regain them after suffering a fever?

Such a tale would have me dragged straight to a doctor for endless examinations.

Even I found the story ridiculous. Others would demand a more logical explanation for the rapid rise of my abilities.

‘How ironic.’

A worthless orphan born in the slums had risen to prominence in the underworld, and now he aspired to claim the throne of the vast Grunewald Duchy.

Crack.

I clenched my fist. The strength in my hand now felt worlds apart from what it had been at the 3rd-tier.

‘To achieve so much in a single day.’

With Ulbhild’s guidance, my martial arts would only continue to evolve. Thanks to Somerset’s potion, I had finally shattered the barrier of the 4th-tier.

‘I am a man who forgets neither kindness nor grudges.’

Ulbhild’s goodwill had become my greatest gain for now, but one day, it would yield immense returns for her.

‘Though that day might still be far off.’

Today had been full of surprises, leaving me awestruck and humbled.

‘If just a fragment of Ulbhild’s skill is this impressive…’

How formidable must the true genius she feared—Verdzig—be? And what kind of power had Duke Georg amassed to make even someone like Verdzig strive for his approval?

As I gazed out at the open sea, a thought struck me: the depth of martial arts inherited by the Grunewald Clan was like this vast ocean. If that was the case, I resolved to become the sky that encompassed it all.

‘That aside…’

Now that I had reached the 4th-tier, there was another skill I needed to practice.

‘At this level, I should be able to spread my mana threads like Ulbhild demonstrated.’

Once I understood the principles behind a technique, there was no reason I couldn’t replicate it. Sitting cross-legged in the center of my room, I closed my eyes.

As I circulated mana within me, I carefully pushed it outward, similar to how I might project sword energy.

‘Thinner, finer, longer.’

…Almost like extruding strands of pasta.

‘Is that comparison too crude?’

Oh well, it amused me. With that in mind, I focused on ‘pulling’ mana as if I were stretching pasta dough.

Before long, I could sense threads of mana spreading throughout the room—not as intricate and expansive as Ulbhild’s, but enough to cover the essentials.

‘So this is how it works.’

Every vibration in the air, the shapes of objects, even the mess of discarded clothes on the floor—all of it registered whenever the mana threads brushed against them. This was the level of awareness Ulbhild achieved by spreading her sensory threads.

‘Perfect.’

I felt exhilaration as I began to adapt to this new skill. But then—

‘What the—?’

I sensed a spider descending from the ceiling on its web.

‘What’s this now? Ugh, disgusting.’

Of all things, why a spider?

Even back in the slums, I couldn’t stand multi-legged bugs like spiders or centipedes.

‘So, even a grand noble’s castle has spiders, huh?’

Of course, that was to be expected. How could anyone completely eliminate them?

‘Now that I think about it, those people I saw at the harbor had spider tattoos, didn’t they?’

A strange coincidence, indeed.

I opened my eyes.

“Did you think you could squat in my room without permission?”

Such an audacious intruder was unforgivable.

I channeled mana into my bracelet.

Vrrrm!

The bracelet absorbed the mana and transformed into a lightweight, slender one-handed sword.

“So this is what it looks like.”

While it lacked the heft needed for strong, decisive cuts, it was perfect for swift thrusts and slashes. A weapon tailored for assassinations, ambushes, and surprise attacks—something I felt a natural affinity for.

“You’re done for.”

I fixed my gaze on the spider, which was now descending closer to the ground.

Swish.

With precise control, I slashed at just the right intensity. The web snapped cleanly, severed by the blade.

“Nice.”

The strike was so delicate and controlled that it left no marks on the walls.

Scuttle!

The spider fell to the ground and scurried toward a corner in a panic. My sensory threads tracked it as it squeezed through a small crack in the wall and slipped into the room next door—Peter’s quarters.

“Farewell.”

Go live in harmony with Peter.

Having chased the uninvited guest away, I swung the bracelet sword lightly through the air.

Whoosh, swoosh, swoosh.

Sharp slicing sounds echoed, leaving faint blue afterimages in the air. With this level of speed and precision, I was confident I could subdue Keseg in under five seconds if we ever crossed paths again.

‘…This should be sufficient.’

Just now, I had simultaneously expanded my sensory threads and projected sword energy to cut through a spider’s web. Now, it was finally time to attempt that.

‘Heh heh heh heh heh…’

Did you think that after gaining so much strength in a single day, I’d just wash my feet, brush my teeth, and go to sleep? Well, you’re so fucking wrong.

“Peter!”

I knocked on the wall, loud enough to get his attention.

“Young Master! Did you call me?”

Peter responded quickly, evidently still awake.

“Not asleep yet, are you?”

“Heh, I couldn’t fall asleep anyway.”

“Good, saves me the guilt. Go fetch that mask my dear brother Verdzig gave me.”

“Right away!”

The Mask of Aminicrus.

I had set it aside, suspecting it might hold some sort of hidden trap. Now was the time to examine it directly and confirm my suspicions.

‘If it spells trouble, I’ll just destroy it.’

I was confident I could do that now. Like when I broke the protective magic on the treasure chest that the Dark King had guarded so dearly, I planned to use that method.

‘…Hopefully, it doesn’t have an explosive spell embedded.’

Let’s hope it’s just paranoia. I wasn’t about to become the kind of fool who dies twice for the same reason.

***

“Young Master, here it is.”

Peter returned with a small wooden box containing the Mask of Aminicrus.

“Good. You can go to bed now—I won’t need you again tonight.”

“Understood.”

Peter nodded, stifling a yawn.

“Yawning right in front of me, huh? Did you do that on purpose?”

“No! It just slipped out!”

“Not even covering your mouth? And right in front of the person you’re serving? Lovely manners.”

“I’m the worst, aren’t I?”

“Glad you’re self-aware.”

After playfully scolding him, I offered a helpful piece of advice.

“By the way, a spider went into your room earlier, so you might want to look around.”

“What? How do you know that?”

“I have my ways.”

“Wow.”

“Now off you go to bed.”

“Yes, Young Master.”

Peter shuffled off, still looking a bit dazed but clearly impressed.

Once he was gone, I opened the box. The Mask of Aminicrus gleamed brightly, as though it were urging me to wear it immediately.

“All right. Let’s do this.”

Thank you, Verdzig.

Thanks to you, I can lead a clever double life.

———-