Even a Scoundrel Gets Tired

146 – The Back Alleys Are Unified in Darkness

“Young Master…you’re still unwell, please, just a little longer…!”

“Yes, brother…it would be alright

if you rested just a bit longer…”

From beside me, I could hear the voices

of those trying so earnestly

to dissuade me.

That my body’s wounds

may not yet be completely

healed,

that it would be best to rest and recover further,

each and every one of them

words of concern for me.

For a fleeting moment, I nearly succumbed

to their selfless

warmth, but alas,

I had little time for rest.

And that was because

I was still far too weak.

Even putting it in the best light,

I am, at best, but ordinary.

The type who, upon seeing something once,

learns maybe ten things from it,

I was not of that breed called genius.

As much as I regretted that fact,

as lamentable and unacceptable as it was,

reality remained unchanging.

I had to

accept and acknowledge that fact.

I am weak.

“I know my own body’s condition

better than anyone, Aria.”

“But…”

“Worry not, I won’t overextend myself.”

Yet, no matter how

that may be,

I had no intention of simply collapsing here.

My nemesis,

the one I wouldn’t regret tearing limb from limb.

That cur who drove

my mother to her death.

He remembered me,

he mocked me,

he spared my life and left, and

that b*tch who brought

me to this place,

said that me ending up like this was solely my fate.

That a guy like me was a dime a dozen,

strewn everywhere.

And asked if she wasn’t perhaps a bit too confident in herself.

All the headaches,

the endless considerations of whether there might be

some reason hidden,

she blew them away in an instant.

With a method so utterly chilling at that.

Wasn’t that reason enough?

Even if I was weary

from a life of hardship,

right now, more than ever,

I had no desire to rest.

If anything, I wanted to move my body more.

With this frame of mind,

if I didn’t move my body,

it felt like that in itself would be a sin.

“…I also think it’s a good idea to just

rest this time, you know?”

“I concur, young master.”

Of course, having nearly died,

there were more than just those two objecting

to my far-too-short respite,

but I really was fine.

This current, leisurely

Time felt like a luxury I couldn’t afford.

“Heard you were awake, so I came.”

_Creak—_

Just then, the door opened and

a man stepped inside.

The audacity of not knocking within

the Duke’s manor, the

unwavering confidence in his stride.

Logically speaking,

the number of people who could act

like this in this manor was quite limited.

“Didn’t expect you to cause such

a commotion the moment you woke.”

Duke Charlotte.

He was entering the room,

wearing a smile like some puppet master.

‘…No, wait, isn’t he a puppet master?’

“Boy…no, should I call you Baron Jennison now?”

“Call me as you please, Duke.”

No matter that I was the youngest

to ever receive a peerage,

I couldn’t forget myself in this moment.

He was a Duke, and I a mere Baron.

Moreover, right now he was

nothing short of my benefactor.

In a way, because he

helped me, I was still

alive and standing in this place.

Therefore, showing him this much

respect was, in some ways,

only natural.

“Alright, then would it be alright if I treat you comfortably?”

“Yes, I would only be grateful if

you did so.”

“A…Good day to you, Duke.”

“Hmm, it’s a relief to see the

young lady of the Reinhardt house appears unharmed as well.”

“It is all thanks to the Duke’s

graceful benevolence…”

“Haha, I appreciate you saying so.”

Having concluded his

conversation with Aria, the Duke

moved directly towards John,

who remained frozen beside me.

He paused to stroke his daughter’s hair once, as he spoke.

“You, sir, possess a considerable skill.”

“Haha…I may not look it, but I do bear the

title of Bishop, you see.”

“Modesty becomes deceit when overdone.”

With those words, the Duke’s

fingers snapped together, and

as if in perfect synchronicity with the sound,

a dark arm arose

from behind John.

More precisely, from his shadow.

“…?!”

“Haha, do not be alarmed, and accept this offering.”

Clink-clink─

The sound of coins ringing out

from the pouch held by the black hand.

Of course, John vehemently

refused the moment he heard it.

It was merely his duty

as a priest, one would presume.

That he hadn’t healed her in order

to receive such worldly things.

However, the Duke forcibly pressed the pouch into his hand.

“─Thus, under no circumstance can I accept this money…”

“Do you believe my daughter’s

life is worth less than

such a paltry sum of coins?”

“What are you saying…?!”

“If you refuse to

accept this here and now,

what becomes of my honour?”

“….”

“And, let me state this beforehand;

no matter what you do

with that, I shall never care in the slightest.”

“…”

“For instance… wouldn’t it

help replenish the funds for the

church reconstruction that the Order

is currently pursuing?”

“…!”

“Money, you see, is both

secular and profoundly

primordial.”

“…”

“So, what do you say? If you take it now,

I can simply consider it the sentiment

of a father with a daughter to provide for—”

“…Despite my misgivings…I will accept.”

“Haha, I thank you for accepting my sincerity!”

…Though it felt as if he’d

forced about half of it into my hands,

it was, nonetheless, a win-win

situation for everyone involved,

so I didn’t particularly dwell on it.

It was only right that a person

who had toiled deserved to be rewarded,

and I didn’t see any reason to give it another thought.

Besides, what I needed

to be concerned about now was myself.

‘Ah, I’d like to

speak with Baron Jennison alone…’

‘..Pardon?’

‘Is it possible…

for you to arrange that?’

‘But… Oppa is still recovering—’

‘Yeah, tell me when you are done talking, Daddy?’

‘Haha, very well. I promise.’

‘W-Wait, Young Lady?!”

‘Hee hee, let’s go get some food!!”

‘W-Wait just a moment, Oppaah?!”

Now, in this room,

it was just him and me, the two of us.

The head of the Ducal house and

a baron of little consequence.

Who wouldn’t feel uneasy

in such a situation?

Saliva involuntarily

Each swallow went down hard,

eyes darting this way and that,

sizing up the room.

Even if it was me,

I couldn’t bear to be

arrogant or rude to someone

who had been so kind to me and mine.

Thanks to that, I was dying trying to

maintain a courtesy I never bothered with.

Eyes had to be

forced into stillness,

hands and feet remained

motionless, lips sealed tight.

Until I felt like nothing more than a doll.

Yes, noble etiquette

always felt like this.

Utterly impractical,

yet overflowing with empty rituals,

the very apex of extravagance.

And the one to shatter

my efforts so cruelly

was none other than the Duke, himself.

“Hmm… the muscles, or

kidneys, aren’t particularly outstanding, are they?”

“…!”

After dismissing everyone

from the room,

he, who had been

staring at me silently,

reached out, his hand beginning

to toy with my forearm.

And not with an ordinary touch,

but with a hand that felt as if

he were handling meat before butchering it,

his eyes filled with curiosity.

“Nor is it the palm of someone

who’s handled a sword before…”

“….”

“I’ve heard your magical aptitude isn’t particularly great, either?”

“….”

“I know not… I truly know not…”

A kneading—

A meticulous touch—

…Even if the other party

is a Duke,

For a grown man to touch my arm

with such tenderness,

I found it repulsive, both physically and mentally,

but the fact that he was my benefactor

strove to restrain me,

and thankfully, he quickly released my arm.

Accompanied by an apology

for touching me so freely.

“No, it’s quite alright.”

“Is it? I appreciate the sentiment, even if spoken out of courtesy.”

“Haha…”

“If I have questions for the Baron,

would you be willing to answer them?”

It began then.

The transformation

of his previously gentle demeanor.

Perhaps from this point forward,

I would learn why he sought me out.

The reason why he felt

the need to come to me so immediately

upon hearing news of my awakening.

“Of course, I will answer them to the best of my ability.”

“Good… Then I shall ask my questions without reservation.”

“Yes.”

“The Baron’s personal martial prowess

is difficult to believe given his age.”

“….”

“You are aware of this as well, are you not?”

Of course, I am aware.

From the very beginning,

my current age differs from my true one.

Although I may be lacking

compared to those overflowing with talent,

My current self, and others like him,

Compared to a student of that age,

it was clear that I was

superior, at least for now.

I had the overwhelming

advantage of time on my side.

Though, I suppose I’ll be caught up to soon enough.

“Of course, once being the scion

of a ducal house, it wouldn’t

be strange if he ingested many elixirs, but still…”

“….”

“Even so, his skill is beyond the pale.”

“….”

“A boy who, until recently,

never once displayed his

power in such a manner.”

“….”

“Furthermore, even if he

has no acquaintance with that old man,

it seems they are somehow connected…”

“….”

“..Baron, just one question for you.”

“..Speak, please.”

“Does your house intend to antagonize the Empire?”

The grin that had been plastered

on his face just moments ago

began to visibly harden.

As if he would immediately

draw his sword should he detect

even a hint of falsehood in my answer.

“If you were to harbor

such intentions…”

“….”

“I was simply wondering if

nipping it in the bud right now

might not be a good idea.”

“I…”

“Yes, speak.”

“..I have no particular intention of antagonizing it.”

“….”

“….”

“..Haha, the truth it is.”

He knew that my words were sincere.

Whether to confirm something or not,

the Duke rose from his seat with an expression of utter relief,

as if he’d learned all he needed to know.

“Forgive me, as I grow older,

I find myself burdened with needless suspicion.”

“…It’s quite alright, sir.”

“Hmm… Still, to let it

pass like this would leave me uneasy…”

“No, I truly am alri─”

“That’s settled then.”

The Duke, paying my words

no mind at all,

snapped his fingers once more,

and this time, from beneath the Duke,

a black hand emerged,

bearing a sheet of paper

and a single quill.

*Scratch-scratch…*

The sound of the quill echoed.

A sound I had once heard to utter boredom.

“There, all done.”

“…?”

“Suppose… you could grow even stronger than you are now. What would you say?”

“…Pardon?”

“You wouldn’t want to lose

that old man again, would you?”

“…”

“Haha, that’s the best expression

I’ve seen on your face all day.”

“Is there… another way?”

“I’ll write you a letter of introduction.”

“…?”

“Take this, and before the fountain in the plaza,

toss a coin three times.”

“…”

“Then someone will appear,

to guide you onward.”

“Guide me… to whom?”

“To the one who will make you strong.”

“…”

“Well, it might be a bit difficult, but

I believe you’re capable, my friend.”

“..Truly, thank you so much, even for this.”

“Heh heh… Ah, that’s right. The code is this.”

The back alley was unified by darkness.

Truly befitting a back alley,

And a phrase that suited it well.