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HELHEIM SCANS
[Translator - Pot]
[Proofreader - Kawaii]
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Chapter 100: Verdzig is Not Invincible
“The familiar has been hit.”
As the vision of the spider familiar, struck by Allenvert’s slash, was cut off, Verdzig smiled faintly.
“Ah, he’s truly quite capable.”
He didn’t think he had particularly underestimated Allenvert.
Even so, he didn’t expect such a complete failure.
“Excellent, Allenvert.”
Verdzig’s hands, as beautiful as sculptures, took a piece from the chessboard. It was the smallest and most insignificant piece, the pawn.
“One has been captured.”
However, coincidentally—
By offering one of his chess pieces, Verdzig, on the contrary, solidified his suspicion to near certainty.
“Allenvert. It seems you’ve also set foot in the underworld.”
“……There wouldn’t be many other places to borrow power from.”
He nodded at his confidant’s words.
“The strategy of anticipating my suspicion and even setting a trap was excellent, but in exchange, you ended up exposing your intentions and weaknesses.”
How about carefully weighing the losses and gains on the scales? Verdzig considered this a tactical defeat for himself, but a victory in terms of strategy.
“But that itself is admirable and remarkable.”
In some ways, he even felt a sense of closeness.
But that man was never of the same kind as him. That’s why he was even more interesting.
“How long has it been? Since my plan was this disrupted.”
“……I don’t remember recently.”
“Excellent. It’s a situation that wasn’t in my calculations.”
Therefore, Verdzig had to accept the fact that he was still underestimating his audacious younger brother.
“I’ll have to pay this tuition.”
Verdzig laughed.
“I should go meet Allenvert soon.”
In order to resolve this situation, he needed to make a deal with his younger brother.
But whether that deal would end in Verdzig’s one-sided loss and concession was something to be seen.
***
“Now, anyway.”
I said, looking at the three retainers.
“There’s no need for us to rush too much. We’re the ones who secured the spy.”
“That’s right.”
I looked at Jeffrey.
“Continue the interrogation. However, don’t use torture.”
“Understood.”
Generally, sending a spy into any organization is something for which one must be prepared for death accompanied by terrible torture. At least, that was the case in the world I was involved in.
But I am the Fourth Young Master of the Grunewald. I had no intention of instilling fear with unnecessary cruelty and ruthlessness.
‘That’s not my way.’
Wisdom, popularity, and romance.
And resolute power and anger.
The way I pursued had to be quite different from that of the Dark King or Verdzig.
‘But that doesn’t mean I’ll be soft or show useless mercy.’
My thought is that a man who lives by the sword, violence, and the night has a duty to fight the impulse to easily resolve all problems with violence and death. Madness comes as a punishment to a man covered in blood.
“Continue to apply mental pressure through relentless interrogation. When the time comes, I will personally step in.”
“Yes.”
“I’ll leave this part to Jeffrey.”
“Leave it to me.”
Peter, who had been quietly listening, asked.
“Young Master, what if Gemini’s willpower is too strong and she doesn’t confess?”
“It’s alright. Time might actually be on our side.”
“Yes? Why?”
I can’t help it.
I decided to teach Peter a lesson.
“One thing is certain. If the culprit isn’t revealed as it is, the problem will become bigger.”
“I-Is that so?”
“A conspiracy by external forces was attempted in the annex where the Young Master of Grunewald is staying. And yet, if the culprit is not found? It will become a matter that higher-ups will have no choice but to intervene in.”
“Ah!”
Peter asked again with a surprised yet worried face.
“Y-Young Master. They’re not going to try to silence Gemini by assassinating her like they did to prisoners last time?”
“That’s probably not an easily chosen option. The previous matter hasn’t even been resolved yet, so using the same method is too foolish.”
Verdzig, whom I had met in person, was not such a man.
“Um… Young Master. About that prisoners' assassination matter.”
Jeffrey seemed to have something to say.
“Any information?”
“It’s news that just came in last night.”
“Fresh news. What is it?”
“The Bergen County directly captured and sent someone. They secured a confession that they were instigated to assassinate by a man named Evan Bergen.”
“…….”
Look at this?
It’s going this way after all.
“Evan Bergen. That’s the name of the tail that will be cut off this time. Is he a distant relative?”
“That’s right.”
Jeffrey sneered.
“They say that Young Master Verdzig directly stormed into his mother’s Clan, the Bergen County, and confronted them, forcing them to hand over the culprit.”
“He impeccably maintains his justification.”
Anyone who saw it would think he was a righteous lord who didn’t even forgive the wrongdoing of his mother’s side.
“Looking at it, it’s true that the culprit is on the Bergen County’s side. Although the man named Evan is innocent.”
I said.
“From the start, it wasn’t something Brother Verdzig would have done.”
Olivier agreed.
“Yes. That’s not his way.”
Anyway, Somerset had his potion taken from me for no reason for something he didn’t even do.
‘It’s pitiful, but it should be seen as the consequence of his usual behavior.’
Who can he blame?
“That man Evan has become scapegoat.”
“……That’s right.”
Jeffrey said bitterly.
“He probably made some kind of deal involving threats. Whether it was the safety of his family or a huge reward.”
Jeffrey muttered as if it were obvious.
“If you can make even innocent people take the blame and confess in that way, wouldn’t it be possible to silence people like Gemini?”
Peter spoke correctly for once.
“That’s right. To be honest, even if we get a confession, nothing much changes.”
“Yes?”
“Even if we manage to get a confession, all I can do is report it to Father or the Head Butler.”
“…….”
It was a stark reminder that such a huge difference in standing existed between me and Verdzig.
“It’s alright. The very situation of not taking any action ‘even while knowing everything’ is bound to make the other side uncomfortable.”
This is a subtle form of psychological warfare.
“Think about it, Peter. The other side has already been caught red-handed by me three times. Regardless of the difference in skill or power, this is an awkward matter.”
The incident of sending Barclava to pick a fight.
The incident of sending the spirit medicine produced by the Eisenach’s enemies by Second Lady as an apology.
As compensation for those two incidents, Verdzig presented me with the Mask of Aminicrus.
‘He had meticulously set traps even in that gift.’
However, the magic with the tracking function was destroyed by Ulbhild’s technique, which he couldn’t have even imagined.
On the contrary, I succeeded in establishing a small root in the underworld using that mask.
‘Then, this time, he tried to confirm my whereabouts through the spy he had infiltrated into my detached residence.’
It was a truly insidious and meticulous act, but—
He couldn’t have possibly anticipated that even that would be seen through by me.
“I’ve rarely seen a man as thorough as my brother.”
I muttered.
“Without directly stepping forward, he schemes all sorts of plots from behind, and even prepares for ‘when things go wrong.’ Planting the familiar disguised as checking the vault, sending a person who would never confess as a spy, he even took into account the difference in skill that would make it difficult to question him even if he were discovered. It can be said to be a well-placed move.”
At that, Jeffrey grinned.
“To see through all of that and deliver a counter-blow is also no ordinary talent.”
“That’s true.”
If it wasn’t this Allenvert, who else could do that against Verdzig?
“Anyway, my conclusion is that silence and waiting are the most appropriate strategies right now.”
“I agree with the Young Master’s thoughts.”
Olivier agreed with my words.
“Since we’re not the ones in a hurry.”
“That’s right.”
Being able to use silence as a weapon is also a method learned from Father’s actions.
The destruction of Eisenach, Allenvert’s seclusion. In those series of events, the way Father subjugated the usurper of Angantyr was truly exquisite.
Grunewald gained enormous practical benefits without shedding a single drop of blood. That is the way of a politician, the way of a monarch.
“There will definitely be a reaction. There’s no need to worry.”
……But only I had to be tense.
‘If the evil spirit called suspicion has taken root in Verdzig.’
It was also my position to try to prevent the connection with the underworld from being revealed.
But I didn’t bother to share that anxiety with my retainers.
***
Two days passed like that.
However, the rumor that a spy who had infiltrated my residence had been discovered and detained was still not known within the castle.
This also meant that my retainers’ information control had been successful.
‘But the fact that there’s been no reaction for two days is suspicious.’
I thought of Verdzig’s beautiful yet somehow eerie smile. What was he plotting again?
“Young Master, you look troubled.”
Venion, who had been watching my cultivation training with his arms crossed, said.
“A 17-year-old boy’s mind is naturally full of worries.”
“Haha, I was like that at that age too.”
“How many decades ago are you talking about?”
“Well, I’m confused whether it was 30 or 45 years ago.”
Venion chuckled.
“Anyway, please concentrate. At least until you reach the ninth stage of the Eternal Ocean Chain Technique, any spirit medicine I give you will only become poison.”
“I know.”
The reason I was leisurely waiting for Verdzig’s contact and focusing on the cultivation—
Was to receive the spirit medicine that Venion had promised during the first lesson.
“By the way, it’s amazing. How did you reach the eighth stage so quickly?”
Venion shook his head.
“I started later than others, so I have to work harder. Rather, it’s slower compared to the speed I reached the fifth stage.”
“It’s absurd to say this is slow, but since the speed naturally slows down as the stage increases, you don’t need to worry too much.”
I nodded and asked.
“So when exactly are you going to give me the promised spirit medicine?”
“Please understand. I didn’t know your progress would be this fast.”
Venion said.
“In recognition of the results you showed when carrying out the last task, I am preparing an spirit medicine of a higher grade than originally planned.”
“That’s something to look forward to.”
“It’s called the ‘Celestrine Draft.’ It’s said to be something that only the most outstanding alchemists can create, using herbs grown under moonlight in special terrain as the main ingredient.”
“That’s quite grand. Does it have an effect worthy of its reputation?”
“Of course. If you can gather your mana properly after taking it, you will be able to accumulate a tremendous amount of mana in your body.”
“At that level, it would truly be a high-grade spirit medicine.”
“I had a hard time getting the budget. The finance officer is quite a picky person.”
Venion, having made a big show of it, lowered his voice and asked.
“But Young Master.”
“What is it?”
“……It seems something happened with Young Master Verdzig while I was away for a while.”
My heart sank a little.
“How do you know that?”
“How do I know?”
Venion replied to my question as if it were obvious.
“There is nothing that the Head of the Clan doesn’t know among the things that happen within this castle. Now, as I am in the position of your instructor, he has given me some hints.”
“That’s something.”
“You don’t need to be too disappointed that the information was leaked. Blocking it for about two days is quite good control.”
“……But now it can’t be blocked anymore?”
“Probably by tomorrow, the news will be conveyed to your brothers and distant relatives.”
“I have no idea where the information leaked from.”
“It’s a natural and inevitable thing, so there’s no need to be particularly disappointed.”
“That’s true.”
“Young Master, I know this is presumptuous, but may I offer some advice as your instructor?”
I nodded at the unexpected words.
“How could I refuse your teaching?”
Venion lowered his voice.
“It would be best not to think that Young Master Verdzig will simply stand by and do nothing.”
Those were truly meaningful words.
But I couldn’t stop because of that. I intended to do something that none of my brothers had done.
‘Verdzig is not invincible.’
I first intended to leave a small scratch on his ironclad prestige.
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HELHEIM SCANS
[Translator - Pot]
[Proofreader - Kawaii]
Join our Discord for release updates!
https://discord.com/invite/dbdMDhzWa2
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