The Terminally Ill Young Master is the Mad Dog of the Underworld-Chapter 262

[Translator - Pot ]

[Proofreader - Kawaii ]

Chapter 262: Back to the Essence of the Swordsman

Kailan Webern gently caressed Liliet's white hand.

"I couldn't have come this far without you."

"Don't say that. This is a game you created with your own will and ability."

She had watched clearly.

Kailan's figure skillfully negotiating with the two ducal clans of Grunewald and Valkenhain after accurately recognizing his ‘utility value’ in a situation that was not just disadvantageous but desperate.

"...The preparations on Marquis Belorok's side are also formidable."

Kailan muttered.

"And the source of the funds he mobilized are things stolen from my grandmother, the head of the clan two generations ago."

Kailan could not forgive that.

"The preparations are complete. I've also found out who's behind him."

Kailan spat out the cursed name.

"The Dark King."

The moment he realized that man's existence, Kailan also learned about the true secret history mixed into his clan's destruction.

"Ancestor Countess Ellicella refused the Black Society's scheme to strike at Grunewald and Valkenhain's logistics."

"As a result, she was destroyed by the Black Society that incited the greedy lords."

Afterward, out of guilt for failing to prevent his beloved wife's tragedy, Count Pergrin of that generation secretly took in and protected the sole survivor of the Webern clan and Ellicella's cousin's nephew, which led to the current situation.

"The blood of that person flowing in me may be thin, but..."

Kailan muttered.

"If I were to live crouched and die without even avenging that person, there would be no point in being born on this land. I refuse such a life."

Liliet embraced her fiancé's back again.

"Whatever path you walk, I will be with you, Kailan."

"I will repay my debt to you and to the Pergrin clan that showed us kindness."

Kailan turned around to look at Liliet.

"And on the day I complete my ancestor's revenge, I will place that person's tiara on your head and propose to you."

That was the fairy tale ending the two dreamed of.

However, they knew well that the process would not be smooth, but rather become a path marked with all kinds of schemes and blood.

Kailan knew this well.

* * *

After completing Siena's escort, Karl received several days of gracious hospitality.

"I shall return home now."

"Thank you for your service, Young Master. Please give my regards to Young Master Allenvert as well."

"...I shall do so."

The feared Black Society attack never came. However, Karl had one more task to accomplish.

"I'll form a separate unit and depart at dawn today."

On the return journey, Karl informed the knight grand commander.

"Young Master, I wish you good fortune."

"...Thank you."

In the deep of dawn, Karl and his men turned their horses toward Count Pergrin's estate.

And they did not return until summer.

* * *

Having finished my busy work, I cleared my complicated mind and swung my sword alone in the training ground.

A single phrase was circling in my head.

"Your realm is still unbalanced. Your essence was that of a swordsman, but haven't you forgotten that by being too absorbed in other martial arts?"

The fact that it was Ivan who said this, and that I couldn't refute it, made me furious.

"The means by which you defeated Schelde was not the sword. In other words, Grunewald's martial arts are at the forefront, and your understanding of the sword follows behind."

I had twisted my head crookedly while watching Ivan leave such advice on his way out.

"So what?"

"What do you mean 'so what'? Train the sword more harshly. What I both feared and envied was your exceptional sword talent."

"...I see."

It's quite an amusing situation to listen to advice from my past life's sworn enemy who ultimately drove me to death, but it would be petty behavior to reject sound words just because they grate on my ears.

Moreover, it was true that I had somewhat forgotten my obsession and passion for the sword.

"That's how worldly affairs always are. When you're busy moving forward, battered by all kinds of storms, it's not easy to remember your original intention."

I let this excuse for no one's ears drift away in the wind and grasped the hilt of Voyager of the Night.

"Haha."

A hollow laugh escaped me without my knowing.

"Look at this, my head is still full of distracting thoughts, so it's not easy to focus only on the sword."

Thoughts about Grunewald's affairs and Black Society and underworld matters, about the Dark King and Kailan Webern and Verdzig were billowing up like clouds.

"When did I lose my concentration like this? Reflect on yourself."

After scolding myself, I sat cross-legged on the dirt floor and closed my eyes.

'Calm your mind. Neither Verdzig nor the Black Society can move immediately. Didn't you yourself make it so?'

Then why is one corner of my heart still anxious?

'If I fight on multiple battlefields as I do now, Verdzig will also try to use all the cards he has.'

If I'm careless, I'll be the one to suffer.

He could mobilize his maternal relatives, move the underworld, or use his vassals to play tricks.

'Perhaps Verdzig might extend his hand to Marquis Belorok's side.'

This is simple suspicion without much basis, but it seems Verdzig's schemes shown so far were equally impressive to me.

'How complicated.'

I know that at times like this, the attitude of simplifying and viewing problems is important.

'Then I need to identify what exactly feels unclear and find a way to resolve that uneasiness.'

But there's one thing I can neither know nor understand.

"Karl."

Now I have many eyes and ears to tell me about the internal affairs of the ducal clan.

Karl volunteering specifically for Siena Valkenhain's escort must have some purpose.

'Whatever that purpose may be.'

I hope Karl doesn't stand on the opposite side from me.

Though his talent may be somewhat lacking, he possessed dignity and grace worthy of respect.

'...In any case, there's nothing more I can do now. Just focus on my work while keeping my ears open to the news that comes.'

Having organized my own answers to the thoughts troubling my mind, I opened my eyes again.

"Wow, the scenery."

Looking at the unusually bright sky today, the sailing ships gliding over the blue sea, and the flocks of seagulls drifting on the sea breeze, my heart became peaceful.

"...Now I'm getting a bit calmer."

Looking at the same scenery, until just moments ago I couldn't feel its beauty, so this mental confusion is truly frightening.

'But it's alright.'

Like a lie, simply, my heart began to focus on what I needed to do ahead.

"First, I need to train the guard unit while discarding distracting thoughts, and refine my own martial arts."

I muttered.

"Let me gather the insights gained from recent real battles and converge them into enlightenment about the sword."

Then there was a voice from behind me.

"Good thinking. In the end, we are warriors, so we mustn't be swept away only by the turbid worldly affairs and forget our essence."

"Sister."

I stood up from my seat to greet Ulbhild.

"Allen, it's been a while."

Ulbhild, who had tied her hair back, showed me her sword.

"There are many paths to cultivating martial arts, but one thing is certain: it's better to be with an opponent who can complement each other's strengths and weaknesses rather than swinging alone."

"Do you intend to train together?"

"Yes."

I grinned.

"So I've reached a position where I can discuss and study martial arts with you, sister."

"Of course. Why wouldn't you?"

Ulbhild acknowledged me.

"I too wanted to break through the wall of the 7th tier. It's not easy to find an opponent like you."

"That's what I hoped for."

Then Rudgarda appeared from the opposite side.

"Young Master, during my countless battles, I will personally show you how the martial arts of the mountain people have developed."

"Rudgarda."

Above all, she said.

"My martial arts are mostly based on the teachings of the usurper Grimnar Angantyr. It would be good to experience it in advance."

I agreed with those words.

"After Kailan Webern's fight ends, the next will be the revenge battle against Angantyr, so there's nothing wrong with preparing in advance."

Ulbhild, who nodded, looked at me.

"Allen. You've already learned several excellent martial arts. Not only the Azure Sea Moon Shadow Swordsmanship and the Eternal Ocean Chain Technique, but also the Seven Stars of the Black Sea Technique and the Ink Soul Sacred Shadow Technique, plus you've acquired to some degree the special constitution of dark mana and the methodology to control it."

Ulbhild said.

"All of these are worthy of being called supreme martial arts, but among them, you have only one sword technique: the Azure Sea Moon Shadow Swordsmanship."

I answered.

"I've never thought I needed a better sword technique."

Since my days as Karzan, I never intended to lose to anyone with the sword.

"Moreover, I think a true swordsman should have the heart to personally feel and learn all the techniques and martial arts pioneered by predecessors, then create their own branch."

"That's a good mindset."

Ulbhild nodded.

"It's foolish to try to reproduce exactly the sword forms learned from a master. After understanding their principles and forms, it's right to apply them and focus on 'points where thinking differs' to add your own commentary."

"That's right."

"But that process will be several times more painful. Following a path others have paved is comfortable and stable, but walking your own path requires overcoming doubts that arise at every moment, dealing with them stubbornly yet flexibly."

I quietly nodded.

'The martial arts Karzan accumulated in his lifetime have already lost their original form by being combined with the journey experienced as Allenvert.'

However, it's my role to sculpt that mixture well and transform it into splendid martial arts.

"Allen, try and fail as much as you want. Rudgarda and I will help you."

I grinned.

"It goes both ways, sister."

Thus, we forgot about time.

* * *

While Allenvert spent his days devoted to training...

Balthazar set out on a journey with Zizek to treat Kreutzel's daughter.

Making fires, butchering and roasting hunted beasts, finding places to camp and standing watch through the night.

During that arduous journey, Zizek, who grew up in the city, practiced martial arts and attended Balthazar while gaining various teachings and engaging in diverse sparring with Kreutzel.

"Zizek, you've become unrecognizably strong."

"I thought I had lived roughly in the underworld, but I learned how weak a human can be alone."

Balthazar patted the back of Zizek, who spoke quite maturely.

"Right. That's why humans have lived by gathering in groups, forming communities, and passing wisdom to future generations."

"I'll keep that in mind."

"Youth is wonderful. Just one journey has made you grow so much."

However, the purpose of this journey was not Zizek's training.

"...I'm cured. I'm cured. I'm really cured!"

Kreutzel's daughter, who drank the medicine Balthazar prepared, rose from her sickbed like a miracle.

Meanwhile, people who had been moaning from the same disease also quickly became healthy after passing through Balthazar's hands.

"The number of infected has increased in the meantime. How could you act so foolishly, not even isolating the patients?"

Balthazar clicked his tongue after surveying the village.

'People who lived in the city for a long time have become fools, forgetting all the knowledge of their ancestors.'

It would have been even more so because it was a life barely sustained by outcasts and refugees gathered together.

If it had been a proper group migration, this wouldn't have happened.

"This place is humid and full of poisonous insects, unfit for human habitation. It might have been tolerable before, but when the population increases like this, disease inevitably spreads."

"...Is that so?"

To the dejected Kreutzel, Balthazar sighed and said.

"It's impossible to move immediately with this many people. First, I'll clean the village thoroughly and teach you how to make various medicines for emergency situations."

"Ah, such precious knowledge...!"

"What could be more precious than human life? This kind of knowledge is like a well - you just need to let those who need it draw from it as much as they want."

Kreutzel didn't know what to do and stammered, then bowed his head so deeply it almost touched the ground, following the old etiquette he had learned from plays.

"Elder, and Young Master Allenvert who is not here but whose kindness extends to us. I will engrave the gratitude to both of you in my bones."

Balthazar waved his hand and laughed.

"It's just an old man's pastime, so don't mind it."

"But at such an important time as now, to spare time for us like this..."

"With Knut and the Godfather of the Red Mist Alliance and Allen holding the line, what problems could there be? Think of it as briefly stepping out for a stroll during an intermission."

However, the end of this brief peace was also slowly approaching.

Until that time came, Balthazar intended to bestow the knowledge he had learned and acquired throughout his lifetime upon these people.

[Translator - Pot ]

[Proofreader - Kawaii ]

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