The Terminally Ill Young Master is the Mad Dog of the Underworld
Chapter 249

[Translator - Pot ]

[Proofreader - Kawaii ]

Chapter 249: Revenge is Good for Your Health

"Young Master, may I have a word?"

Reinholdt opened his mouth with a heavy expression.

"Of course."

"This is truly a troubling matter. To think that the Young Master of Grunewald would pardon a thief who dared infiltrate Valkenhain's treasury and steal treasures, and then take him under his wing?"

Reinholdt's concern carried a subtle warning. He was quite the smooth talker.

"Of course, I understand your concerns. I naturally respect Valkenhain's position and have no intention of causing offense."

"Then please share your thoughts with us, Young Master. Regardless of whether I personally approve of this matter or not..."

Of course, Reinholdt's face clearly showed his strong disapproval.

"I find myself in quite a predicament when it comes to reporting this to His Grace the Duke."

"Before I explain..."

I smiled slightly.

"I haven't yet mentioned the price for helping you with this matter, have I?"

"Ah!"

"Surely not..."

Reinholdt and Siena's gazes grew complicated.

As if they were caught in a trap, as if they were disappointed by this kind of forceful approach.

"Of course, I intend to receive that payment only after you've given your consent."

Then Reinholdt spoke up.

"Let me be frank. We are deeply grateful for Young Master's tremendous help. We will certainly repay you. However, pardoning and recruiting Valkenhain's criminal like this is difficult for us to accept."

"I understand what you're saying."

I replied calmly without showing displeasure or being overbearing.

I wasn't oblivious to Reinholdt's position.

"First, if the recruitment succeeds, I plan to treat Kreutzel as a dead man."

"...If we keep our stories straight, it wouldn't be impossible."

"Exactly."

"But why go to such lengths? For a mere thief?"

Reinholdt revealed his uncomfortable feelings.

"Can we even trust such a person in the first place?"

"Well..."

I shrugged my shoulders.

"Just before attacking Kreutzel earlier, I heard him muttering to himself."

Then Knut, who had been quietly listening to our conversation, asked.

"What did he say, Allen?"

I answered.

"He said it would be better to be locked up in Valkenhain's prison, but if anything happened to his family, he'd go insane..."

"Oh?"

Zizek raised his eyebrows.

"So that bastard has family too?"

"Seems like it."

And that changed my mind.

"If he has family, he's probably afraid they'll be harmed by those bastards."

I stated firmly.

"You don't know how vicious those fuckers are unless you've experienced it yourself. It's not strange that Kreutzel is so terrified."

"Have you experienced it, Boss?"

Fuck yes, I have.

But I couldn't say that.

"Well, I hear things here and there."

I answered vaguely.

"To return to the main point..."

I said, looking into Reinholdt's eyes.

"If he really does have a weakness, and if that weakness is his family..."

"..."

"In exchange for guaranteeing his family's safety, he might very well return the item and cooperate with us."

Reinholdt closed his mouth.

Even he must have realized this could be 'a way to recruit Kreutzel.'

"Young Master."

Then Siena spoke.

"You really are a kind person, aren't you?"

"...Me?"

"Why?"

Both Zizek and I asked simultaneously.

"?"

I turned to look at Zizek.

"Are you crazy? Don't butt in."

"Yes sir."

Watching me scold Zizek, Siena smiled slightly.

"Actually, I heard stories beforehand about when Young Master subjugated Nepherus."

"Hm? When did you hear about that..."

"You're surprisingly emotional. Should I say you understand human nature?"

Siena's expression was gentle.

"At first, I thought it wasn't fitting for a ruler. But thinking about it more..."

Siena glanced at Reinholdt before continuing.

"Sometimes that kind of thing moves people's hearts. I got the feeling that Young Master himself is contemplating a middle path between pragmatism and emotion."

"You could say that."

If being moved by Kreutzel's story was 30%, then recognizing it as a clue to trust Kreutzel was 70%.

"Honestly, I don't dislike the Young Master's attitude. They say there are no emotions in schemes and politics, but the subjects executing them are still humans with warm blood."

"Young Lady!"

As if to stop Reinholdt from saying something, Siena raised her hand.

"Grand Commander Reinholdt, I will agree. What's important is safely recovering the Ebony Oath, so there's no need to necessarily pay for that crime with execution or imprisonment."

When Siena clarified her position, Reinholdt also bowed his head.

"...If that is your will, I shall comply."

I was reminded once again of Siena's considerable influence.

If you asked me whether I could speak so boldly in front of Grunewald's Grand Commanders, I wouldn't be confident.

"So things are somewhat settled now?"

Knut chuckled softly.

"Then we should start by capturing that fellow."

"It won't be difficult."

I said.

"Kreutzel's stamina and mana aren't infinite."

Chasing prey until it's exhausted and then capturing it - isn't that the essence of hunting?

* * *

Our coordinated hunt finally bore fruit.

"Whoa there, where do you think you're going?"

After catching five decoys and falling for six feints, I was finally able to drive my fist into Kreutzel's solar plexus.

"Guhk!"

The utterly exhausted Kreutzel collapsed with a thud.

"Capturing alive really is the hardest part."

I sighed and handed Kreutzel over to Zizek.

"Clever bastard. The moment he realized we had no intention of killing him, he became much bolder, didn't he?"

"They say he's a former acrobat, and his courage is better than most warriors."

But now he's my prisoner.

"Let's move for now. Those bastards will be chasing us."

"Yes sir."

We retrieved Kreutzel and headed to our hideout.

"Um, Young Master."

"What is it?"

Siena hesitated for a moment before speaking.

"May I hit him once on the back of the head? Considering all the trouble he caused us..."

"...Go ahead."

Maybe it'll hurt less if he's hit while unconscious?

Or not.

***

Kreutzel came to quickly.

"Are you conscious?"

Bound to a chair with all his weapons confiscated, Kreutzel sighed.

"...Damn it."

"Be grateful you weren't caught by the Black Society, Master Thief."

When I smirked, Kreutzel asked in a calm voice.

"Just who are you? I never expected Valkenhain to have such collaborators."

Oh, look at this? Even in this situation, he's trying to engage in conversation.

"You're not asking out of simple curiosity. Are you still hoping for a way out?"

"..."

I observed Kreutzel's expression carefully and then spoke bluntly.

"Good, that mindset of trying to figure out some strategy even when cornered. That's what created the legend of Master Thief Kreutzel."

"..."

I made a proposal to the silent Kreutzel.

"Will you surrender?"

At the unexpected words, Kreutzel raised his head.

"What kind of trick is that?"

"Don't you want to?"

"It's not about wanting to or not, it's just too absurd."

"Haha."

If it were the old me, I would have beaten him first and interrogated him until his mind was addled to get the answers I wanted.

'Just like I did to Diamando recently.'

But that kind of intimidation depends on who you're dealing with.

I looked into Kreutzel's eyes.

He seemed like a man whose rock-solid will had been somewhat worn down by the storms of life.

"Actually, I heard what you were muttering earlier."

"!"

Kreutzel's eyes wavered.

"After hearing that, I thought you might not just be a thief obsessed with money, but someone who has lived as a father to a family."

I believe in people's stories.

'Stories can make a weak human stronger than steel.'

"Depending on the circumstances, I might be able to open a path to survival. Not just for you, but for your family as well."

His emotions churned in the silence.

"However, you'll need to tell us your story honestly. Keep in mind that we could kill you right now and retrieve the item."

I continued with appropriate threats mixed in.

"Also, understand that it wasn't easy for me to persuade these people."

"...Why would you go so far?"

Kreutzel's tone changed.

"It's obvious. Because I value your talents that highly."

I also put respect into my tone.

"Kreutzel, keep in mind that this might be an opportunity that's hard to come by again in life."

Because.

"If you die here, there won't be a next opportunity."

If you don't like it, go ahead and reincarnate too.

.

.

.

"...So that's how it happened."

After hearing Kreutzel's story, I crossed my arms.

'This man has also lived quite a troubled life.'

Zizek's eyes were already slightly reddened.

'Damn, that bastard looks so fierce but has the heart of a maiden.'

"Sir Karzan."

Kreutzel said.

"If you can move the villagers to safety and treat my daughter's illness, I'm prepared to do anything."

"Because you're prepared to do anything."

Siena said.

"You dared to steal Valkenhain's treasure."

At Siena's words, Kreutzel bowed his head repeatedly.

"...I'm sorry. Worrying about the weight of life, I seem to have been cruelly heartless to those outside my fence."

"Nevertheless."

I said.

"You can't live like this forever. You want to live normally, retire and start a new life, watch your children grow up. But you thought you had no right to dream of such things... Haven't you lived with that mindset?"

Kreutzel closed his eyes.

"You understand well."

"Of course I do."

A life growing up from the bottom, living only for survival.

That was also the childhood that Karzan had to endure.

'If not for grandfather's words.'

I too would have lived like that and died unloved by anyone.

"But Allen."

"Yes?"

Knut said.

"I think I know what incurable disease his daughter has. It's a disease rarely transmitted by insects that live in the mountains."

"!!!"

Kreutzel's head snapped up as if he'd seen a ghost.

"Can, can, can you treat it?"

Knut replied matter-of-factly.

"I can. So can Grandfather and Aunt."

"...Please."

If he hadn't been tied up, Kreutzel would have knelt down as he bowed his head.

"Please save that child. If you do that, I'll live the rest of my life as your sword."

Knut shrugged.

"There's no need to go that far, just live as this guy's sword."

I added a word at this point.

"We can accept the villagers too. If they want a city, they can go to Grunewald; if they want rugged nature, they can go to the Virgenhrid Mountains."

I spoke as if I were the king of both territories. It wasn't wrong to say so. Both would be mine someday.

"Zizek, untie the rope."

"Yes sir."

Freed from his bonds, Kreutzel prostrated himself before me.

"I will dedicate my body and serve with complete loyalty. Please save my family."

"Then I will give you two commands."

I held up two fingers.

"First, return the Ebony Oath."

"Yes."

Kreutzel took the Ebony Oath out of his spatial pocket.

"Ah, this is..."

"It's definitely the original."

After confirming its authenticity, Siena put it back in her own spatial pocket.

"To think we'd receive it so easily."

I glanced at Siena, who was making a strange expression, then continued.

"Second, from now on you will act as bait to lure the Black Society's pursuers."

"!"

"Even if you die, your family will definitely be protected. If you survive, you'll retire from thievery and perform other duties as my retainer."

At this point, I asked Siena.

"We've recovered the Ebony Oath, but I'd like to give those Black Society bastards who were the root cause of all this trouble a taste of their own medicine. Will you help?"

Siena readily agreed.

"Of course."

"Good. Then from now on, it's time for revenge and retaliation."

But there's one thing I need to do first.

I personally removed the Mask of Aminicrus to show Kreutzel proof of my trustworthiness.

"Let me introduce myself properly. I am Allenvert Grunewald."

"Ah!"

At the unexpected identity, Kreutzel's eyes widened.

"So you were His Grace the Young Master Allenvert!"

"Do you see now? How solid a backing you've caught?"

I joked lightly and patted Kreutzel's shoulder.

"I'm also an enemy of the Black Society, like you. Now let's get revenge on those who tried to ruin your life."

"Leave it to me."

"Good, somehow my heart is racing."

Indeed, I felt my blood circulating faster and my body becoming healthier.

In other words...

'Revenge is good for your health.'

[Translator - Pot ]

[Proofreader - Kawaii ]

Search the lightnovelworld.cc website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.