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

[Translator - Pot]

[Proofreader - Kawaii]

Chapter 86: The Reasons to Pass the Test Have Increased

"What's your relationship with those guys?" I asked, and Rob answered.

"They've tried to worm their way into our territory and do some nasty things before, so we've roughed them up a few times."

"And then?"

"They got beaten by our Boss back then and retreated."

"Oh."

"Thinking that force wouldn't work, they started using their heads."

That's what I'm curious about. What kind of petty tricks have these bottom-feeders come up with this time?

"Vincent's organization having devoted all the dirty money they'd accumulated, went under the Bisakino Brotherhood's fourth-rate organization, the Black Night Society. It means they now share the same 'rice pot' as our Boss Zizek."

"Huh, really?"

"They even gave themselves a grand-sounding name. They call themselves the Vincent’s Night Cloud Gate."

"Since the name of the higher organization they serve is the Black Night Society, they just roughly followed suit?"

"That's probably it."

"Cute bastards." I chuckled.

If you lack force, rely on a backer. It was definitely an effective method.

"Anyway, because of that, there's a state of potential truce these days."

Zizek interrupted Rob. "There are rumors that they've been steadily increasing their power lately."

"Looks like there's a guy with some cunning."

"Yes, their boss, Vincent, is somewhat like that. In the world, he's called 'Dung Beetle Vincent'."

"That nickname is ridiculous. Not even a scarab, what's a dung beetle?"

Then Zizek chuckled.

"If you saw his face, you'd be amazed that it's an accurate description. He's so stingy looking, as if he'd even pick up mouse droppings…"

"Ah, so that's why he became twisted."

I easily understood. Living like that is bound to build up anger in your heart. In short, it turns him into a man with an ugly heart.

"As you can imagine, even without our interference, they wouldn't last much longer."

"I agree."

They are using their heads to some extent, but their actions themselves are those of an organization that arbitrarily wields violence without principles or mercy.

They were truly like moths drawn to a flame, the kind that disappear most easily in this underworld.

"Since they have no justification or public support, they'll collapse in an instant if they meet a stronger organization. Since they have no loyalty, the organization will quickly disintegrate if they lose their leader."

"They even end up destroying themselves by killing their boss and fighting for the position."

They were generally the behavior of pathetic fifth-rate organization.

"To think they have no real power, rely only on a backer they bought with money, and have committed so many atrocities. It's not uncommon for such organizations to be annihilated by a man with talent and a grudge."

"Has such a thing happened?"

"It has."

That's what happened to Zamuel.

I saved him after he was dying after taking revenge on his family.

"Anyway, that guy will definitely pick a fight."

"Then what are you planning to do?"

"If we prepare in advance, there's no problem. We just need to beat the hell out of them."

"Are you sure you'll be okay?"

"We're having hellish training combined with swordsmanship training again. They're a piece of cake."

Zizek showed his confidence.

"Good. And then?"

“They’ll definitely increase their numbers and attack again.”

“Of course.”

“Then I’ll step in myself. They try to strike first and end up getting beaten, only to come back with their people? That’s against the rules of the underworld.”

Zizek grinned.

Ultimately, the biggest logic that underworld figures can put forward is that justification is secondary and power is primary. No matter how much justification you have, if you have no power, it becomes your fault.

"Are you going to finish this once and for all?"

Zizek, understanding what I meant, replied.

"After crushing them, we'll absorb them."

"Good. How are you going to explain it to the higher-ups?"

"I can smooth things over sufficiently. I've known the Black Night Society's leader since we were in the Bisakino Brotherhood."

"Really?"

"Of course, I'll have to promise appropriate compensation."

"This is going to escalate."

Zizek replied with a serious face. "I'll handle it. It would be incompetent of me to ask your for help with something like this."

It's a strange thing. Just as I passed Venion's test, Zizek is trying to pass mine.

"Zizek, a person must constantly prove themselves to live."

"I know."

"Therefore, I'll entrust this matter to you."

I got up from my seat.

"Discuss the details amongst yourselves."

"Are you going to sleep?"

"Yeah."

"Alone?"

"Are you suggesting we share the same blanket? Are you that type of man?"

"Damn it. That's not what I meant."

"You guys sleep during the day and work at night anyway, right?"

"Not everyone does, but…"

"Quiet. It's true that you wake up when others are eating lunch."Nôv(el)B\\jnn

"That's true."

"Pathetic."

I drew a line with Zizek.

"You're all like the laziest guys in the world."

"You're making too much of a fuss about waking up early."

"Shut up."

I flicked a booger with a finger flick and said. "I'm going to sleep. Don't wake me up."

"Seriously, is this a lodging house?"

Zizek grumbled, but I didn't care.

***

Early in the morning, after a sound sleep, I headed to Peter's house to change clothes.

"I'm going."

"When will you be back?"

"I don't know. I'll have to see how things go."

"Okay."

I walked through the back alleys of Grunewald in the morning sunlight, seeing off Zizek, whose eyes were hollow from planning something diligently all night.

"Vendor. Give me some wafers."

"Oh, it's you again!"

"Nice to see you. You're working hard."

"Haha, I have to work hard to make a living."

I bought some snacks from the street vendor I passed by every morning at this time. I was planning to give them to Peter and Julia.

'Venion will probably come again today. I should go in early.'

A certain singing voice stopped my hurried steps.

'What is it?'

It wasn't a properly trained vocalization.

However, I was momentarily lost in the sight of a boy singing with a beautiful tone that stopped passersby in their tracks.

"...."

He looked about nine years old. But judging by his nutritional state, he might be older. His face was pitifully blackened, as if he hadn't washed in days, and his tattered clothes reeked.

'An orphan.'

From this early morning, among the people passing by as if accustomed to it, he stubbornly, with shoulders hunched as if afraid of getting yelled at, sang to beg for money.

Even so, the face singing looked as peaceful as an angel.

'...There's a child like this even in this prosperous city.'

"Damn it."

I gave the snacks I just bought to the little boy.

"Th-Thank you!"

The next action the child took surprised me.

He ran somewhere quickly, and then he gave the snacks to an even smaller child than himself.

"....Ah."

At this moment, I returned to the heart of Karzan, not Allenvert, and approached the child.

"Is that perhaps your younger sibling?"

The child shook his head with a frightened face.

"No."

"Then?"

"I met him a few months ago. On the street."

"And you're taking care of him like a younger sibling?"

Then the child shrank back.

"I'm sorry."

"Why are you saying sorry?"

Well, since Karzan's face is fierce, even raising his voice a little would sound like he's angry. I sighed and lowered my voice.

"Your parents?"

"They died. From starvation."

"Both of you?"

"Yes."

At this point, I realized that the younger child wasn't saying anything.

"Your younger sibling?"

"....He doesn't speak well."

Then the child moved his lips.

"Au, au."

"I think he was beaten badly while wandering around. He trembles and cries alone every night."

"Shit."

I gritted my teeth and swallowed my anger.

At this moment, I was seeing Karzan's childhood and boyhood in these two little ones.

"...Then of course you wouldn't know their names."

"Yes."

I was at least able to spend my childhood in my grandfather's care. The love I received then was the driving force that later led me to take in unfortunate guys and jump into the underworld.

But this child, despite never having met such good fortune, is giving unconditional love to a young child whose name he doesn't even know.

"Is there anyone helping you?"

The boy shook his head.

"No."

Ah, Karzan. If you hadn't met your grandfather, you would have wandered around begging and died like this child.

I see children living in the corners of the prosperous Grunewald capital, in the shadows created by its brilliant light.

"Friends?"

"They died. Some were kidnapped."

Kidnapped?

I frowned.

There are bastards like that.

"Are there any who bully you?"

"...There are, but they're sleeping now."

The boy asks with a wary face.

"But why are you asking about that?"

I sighed and stroked the boy's head. Slowly, so as not to startle him.

"I'm the boss of the thugs who control that alley over there."

"Huh?"

"Have you heard of Zizek?"

"Ah!"

Congratulations, Zizek. Your reputation may not have covered this land, but at least it has reached this small orphan boy.

"If I said I'd give you a place to sleep and food in exchange for helping with odd jobs and running errands there, would you come?"

"....!"

The boy's eyes wavered.

"Really?"

"Really."

Then the boy bowed his head.

“I’m fine. But this kid, he really… No, no. I should stay with him. He might get scared. I’ll only need one portion of food, so please…”

I grabbed the boy's shoulders and lifted him up.

"Hey, that makes me look like a bad guy trying to trick you to take advantage of you."

"T-That's not what I meant."

I lifted both children up and placed them on my shoulders. They're terribly light, damn it. There was no need to use mana.

'Just by making sure there are no more kids like these in this area, Zizek is fulfilling his mission.'

And if I can become a light for this boy like my grandfather was for me—

Perhaps this life I unexpectedly received will have some meaning.

"Oh, are you crying?"

"Shut up."

"I'm sorry."

The boy shrank back, so I sighed.

"I'm not angry, so don't be scared."

"Yes."

Even while reassuring the child, I narrowed my eyes, having a hunch about something.

'There are guys in this area who are kidnapping children.'

If the ones doing that are Vincent's Night Cloud Gate.

'Zizek, the reasons to pass the test have increased.'

* * *

"Young Master Somerset has 'again' spent time in the underworld,"

Early in the morning, Verdzig, receiving reports on the unusual events of the previous night, curled the corner of his lip at his younger brother's deviance.

"How weak. If his spirit is even slightly shaken, he easily resorts to escape."

How many scions of noble families are there without deviations, twisted tastes, sexual fetishes, or obsessions—

But for a commander leading a battalion of the Security Guards to collude with the underworld and seek pleasure, forgetting his responsibilities, was a completely different matter.

'No matter how much he was born with, it's all for naught. If his own disposition is so weak.'

However, if his dear younger brother naturally strayed from the path of succession in this manner, what could be said? Rather, giving instructions to the Royal Guards not to ‘actively interfere’ could be seen as a sign of his brotherly consideration.

Besides…

"To think he believes he can do something by gathering such worthless trash."

It wasn't that Verdzig didn't know that Somerset was plotting something. But how pitiful his idea was. His younger brother's struggles were not just pathetic but even desperate.

"Young Master, Peter is reported to have stayed out last night as well."

Therefore, his interest was focused elsewhere.

"That is a bit strange."

Verdzig knew Peter well. His background, family relations, address, and environment.

Therefore, he could easily find that this was an unprecedented and unusual event.

"Why is he going out so often?"

A reply came from the darkness.

"I will have him followed."

Verdzig nodded. The answer was sufficient.

[Translator - Pot]

[Proofreader - Kawaii]