------------------
HELHEIM SCANS
[Translator - Pot]
[Proofreader - Kawaii]
Join our Discord for release updates!
https://discord.com/invite/dbdMDhzWa2
------------------
Chapter 129: Of All Things, Why Did They Have to Take That?
After tucking the note into his chest, Peter took a different route than usual, weaving through the crowded streets to blend in with the masses.
“Lately, I’ve been feeling like someone’s been watching us.”
Peter hadn’t dismissed Bridget’s words lightly.
His younger sister had always been far more perceptive than him. Thanks to her, their family had narrowly escaped trouble more than once.
For the surviving members of a fallen noble family trying to survive in the slums, a bit of luck was often necessary.
‘If Bridget sensed someone’s gaze, it means we’re being watched.’
Peter hadn’t received a proper education, but he was naturally quick-witted. Moreover, serving by Allenvert’s side had allowed him to pick up some of his master’s sharp judgment and foresight.
‘Never ignore ominous signs.’
That was something Allenvert had once told him. Complacency was an emotion close to death.
That’s why Peter, to avoid the gaze of a potential watcher—whether real or imagined—wandered aimlessly through the streets of Grunewald City that morning. He carried with him the letter from Zizek that Allenvert had been eagerly awaiting.
‘I have to protect this no matter what.’
How much time had passed? Peter wiped the sweat dripping from his forehead as he noticed the sun rising high in the sky.
‘I should join up with the guards around here.’
After all, he couldn’t delay his return indefinitely based on mere suspicions, no matter how real they felt. At 15, Peter was still at an age where punctuality mattered.
‘…This should be enough.’
Peter turned his steps toward the guards he had spotted earlier, intending to join them—
“Turn into the alley on your left.”
Before he knew it, something cold and sharp pressed against his back.
“!!!”
“If you scream, I’ll slit your throat. If you run, I’ll cut your ankles.”
Peter swallowed dryly, sensing the quiet killing intent behind him.
“Don’t turn around. Do you want to die?”
A chill ran down his spine.
…In that moment, Peter had no choice.
* * *
“Kid, hand over everything you’ve got.”
The man behind him spoke in a voice that was oddly refined, devoid of any regional accent.
“Judging by your appearance, you seem to have quite a bit of money. If you hand it over quietly, I won’t kill you.”
“…?”
Peter felt something off about the man’s words.
‘What’s going on?’
The aura and tone felt like that of an assassin, yet he was putting on the act of a common thief.
‘This is suspicious.’
More importantly, Peter had spent enough time working in Grunewald Castle to develop a keen sense for subtle cues—body language, gestures, and the unspoken atmosphere.
‘He’s not a thief.’
Peter didn’t ignore the warning of his instincts.
‘He’s someone sent by another.’
And the only name that came to mind at this moment was, of course, one person.
‘Could it be young master Verdzig?’
It didn’t seem likely that Somerset, who had already suffered a similar setback, would repeat the same mistake without any thought.
However, if the man behind him was truly sent by Verdzig, this was the worst possible scenario Peter could imagine.
‘If the letter is discovered, it’s over.’
So, in that brief moment, Peter prioritized.
‘Protecting the letter is the most urgent task.’
The worst-case scenario for Peter wasn’t his own death.
The true worst-case scenario was failing his mission, having the letter taken, and letting critical information fall into enemy hands.
‘If I die…’
The faces of his family flashed through his mind. Allenvert would surely take care of them. He might even seek revenge.
‘No, stay calm.’
While it was important to consider the worst, there was no need to give up just yet.
Peter recalled the times Allenvert had navigated through difficult situations and cautiously opened his mouth.
“……What do you want from me?”
“I told you to hand over your money.”
Should he play along, or should he strike at the man’s weakness? What would Allenvert do?
After some thought, Peter made his choice.
“That’s a lie.”
“What?”
“You want something from me, don’t you? You’re the one who’s been watching me, aren’t you?”
“……!”
The man flinched slightly, confirming Peter’s guess.
If that was the case, he could push further.
“I won’t ask who sent you.”
Peter spoke with the authority of a servant serving the fourth young master of the ducal house.
“So, wouldn’t it be better to stop now, while this can still end as an attempt?”
“…….”
No answer came, but Peter didn’t stop.
“There’s a huge difference between attempting to harm me, a servant of young master Allenvert, and actually succeeding.”
In some situations, borrowing someone else’s authority could be an effective strategy.
“Don’t even think about denying it now.”
As he spoke, the hairs on the back of Peter’s neck stood on end. He could act composed, but he couldn’t hide the physical reactions of fear in the face of death.
‘……He’s pushing himself.’
The man observing Peter’s state thought to himself.
‘But was this kid always this sharp?’
As Peter had guessed, the man was indeed a subordinate sent by Verdzig. He was the same man who had once been caught by Allenvert’s sharp instincts while disguised as Peter.
The order to act as a thief had only come to him the previous night.
“Disguise yourself as a thief and ambush him on his way back to steal his belongings.”
At first, he couldn’t believe his ears. Even if it was true, how could he, in broad daylight, rob the sole servant of young master Allenvert, an employee of the Grunewald Ducal House?
‘……Well, the second young master has always been that kind of man.’
Having lived as Verdzig’s shadow, he knew it well.
The Verdzig of the day was a dignified and handsome nobleman—
But the Verdzig of the night was a ruthless mastermind who would stop at nothing.
How many schemes had he carried out against his siblings, relatives, and vassals?
‘Young master Allenvert. You’ve chosen the wrong opponent.’
So, he would soon learn why Karl and Ulbhild feared Verdzig so much.
“If he cooperates, spare his life and send him back. But if he doesn’t, disguise it as a robbery-murder and dispose of the body.”
How many nobles could give such orders without hesitation?
Verdzig was a man who could wield schemes that even the underworld feared, without a second thought.
‘Even if no letter, note, or cipher is found on this boy, it’s fine.
What’s important is the fact that Peter was robbed in broad daylight. That alone would serve as Verdzig’s chilling warning to Allenvert.
……But.
“Please make a wise choice.”
Misinterpreting the man’s silence as hesitation, Peter, hiding his anxiety, pressed further.
“Foolish child. Do you really think you’ve taken the lead here? Did you truly believe you could talk your way out of this situation with a few words?”
Peter was gravely mistaken. The man’s hesitation wasn’t out of fear of being exposed.
“You’ve made a mistake.”
The man in black said.
“Do you think your master will follow your lead just because you said you wouldn’t ask who sent me? What makes you so special?”
“……!”
“Thinking about the aftermath of your death? How presumptuous. That’s not for you or me to worry about.”
He was merely a blade wielded by Verdzig.
“Your biggest mistake—”
The tip of the black-clad man’s blade touched Peter’s skin.
“—was turning what could have been a simple robbery into an ‘attack on a young master of Grunewald’ with your clever tongue. Now, letting you live would only escalate the situation.”
The man pronounced Peter’s fate.
“You’ve hastened your own demise. Now, I have no choice but to kill you and silence you permanently.”
“……!”
This conclusion was far from what Peter had expected. He felt a wave of despair.
‘I was wrong.’
Perhaps Allenvert could have handled this, but Peter, with his limited perspective and no control over life and death, couldn’t resolve the situation with mere words.
“Half-baked wisdom. That’s the vice that hastens one’s doom.”
Peter clenched his eyes shut.
It was over. The man would slit his throat, search his belongings, and take the letter. Peter was facing the worst outcome—losing both his life and the letter.
‘I have to protect the letter no matter what.’
But how?
Overwhelmed by despair and the imminent threat of death, Peter’s legs trembled.
“Child, close your eyes.”
The black-clad man had no intention of engaging in further pointless dialogue. Once his identity was exposed, his only goal was to complete the mission as quickly as possible.
However, since he couldn’t tell what Peter was hiding in his chest, slitting his throat was a safer option than stabbing his heart and risking bloodshed.
“Any last words, child?”
“…….”
The frightened boy’s lips were sealed like stone.
“I see. A pity.”
The black-clad man had no patience for further delay.
“Then, farewell.”
Just as the black-clad man’s dagger was about to slice Peter’s throat—
“Wait!”
A voice from behind stopped his arm.
“You there, what are you doing? Drop your weapon, turn around, and raise your hands.”
“……!”
The Grunewald security guards had surrounded him without warning.
“I’m Security Guards Captain Becker. Show me your badge, ID, citizen card, residence permit, birth certificate… anything to prove your identity. If not, I’ll execute you on the spot.”
* * *
Security Guard Captain Becker.
He was the man who had recently visited Zizek’s pawnshop and received a “small favor.”
‘There are times when you meet such flexible and resourceful men from the underworld.’
So, wasn’t it only natural that he had “voluntarily strengthened” patrols around Zizek’s territory as a gesture of goodwill?
The recent improvement in local security was also thanks to him cracking the whip on his subordinates and ensuring they earned their keep.
“You’ve got some nerve, huh? Daring to commit robbery so brazenly in the Duke’s territory?”
The black-clad man sighed at the captain’s stern reprimand.
‘Damn it.’
This was the result of playing along with Peter’s words.
‘What a stupid mistake.’
Security squads typically consisted of ten men, with a deputy captain and captain leading four members each.
Thus, the black-clad man was now surrounded by five security officers. Even if their skills were inferior to those of the royal guards or knights, a five-to-one fight was still a daunting prospect.
‘More importantly, killing them would exceed my authorized limits.’
There was no time to think. The black-clad man shoved Peter aside and reached into his chest, grabbing something.
“Huh?”
“Hey, you!”
In an instant, the black-clad man vaulted over the wall and disappeared. His agility, reminiscent of an elf, left the security officers no chance to react.
“……Wow. I’m alive.”
Peter’s legs gave out, and he collapsed to the ground.
“Hey, are you okay… huh? Peter?”
Only then did Captain Becker recognize Peter and widen his eyes.
“Hehe, hello.”
Peter smiled awkwardly.
“I thought I was done for this time.”
“What on earth happened?”
Peter was about to explain but quickly changed his mind.
“Well, a thief suddenly grabbed me and threatened me to hand over everything I had.”
Peter didn’t mention Verdzig’s name or any hint of a conspiracy.
‘……This isn’t something to be spread around.’
In the end, it was Allenvert’s offhand remark about giving the security guards some pocket money that had coincidentally saved both Peter and the letter.
But—
“Huh?!”
Peter frantically searched his chest and was shocked.
“What’s wrong?”
“The wafer! He took the wafer!”
The snack Peter had bought for Allenvert. In the final moment, the black-clad man had snatched it and fled.
‘Wow, that guy’s really unlucky. Of all things, he took the snack instead of the letter?’
……Today was a strangely lucky day.
------------------
HELHEIM SCANS
[Translator - Pot]
[Proofreader - Kawaii]
Join our Discord for release updates!
https://discord.com/invite/dbdMDhzWa2
------------------
