Chapter – 74
“What is the matter!”
“Are you all right!”
The knights belonging to the Royal Guard rushed in, swarming as they assessed the situation.
They had already been on edge, worried about when the troublemaker might cause an incident, and when Evangeline’s scream echoed, their expressions showed less surprise and more of a ‘it was bound to happen’ look.
“Young lady! Did Young Master Carlisle try to do something despicable to you?!”
One knight asked Evangeline.
“No.”
Evangeline frowned as if to ask what nonsense that was, then pointed a trembling hand towards the window.
“Young… Young Master… Young Master he…”
“…?”
“He jumped out.”
“…!”
The startled knight hurriedly moved to the window.
Fortunately, Carlisle’s room wasn’t very high up, so even if he jumped out the window, the risk of fatal injury was very low.
“Ah! Over there!”
Another knight pointed towards a roof in the distance.
*Tap tap tap!*
Carlisle was running across the rooftops.
“Young Master, Young Master!”
“Young Master! Where are you going!”
The knights shouted, but Carlisle ran at full speed without ever looking back.
“Damn it!”
“This is an emergency!”
The knights’ faces turned pale.
“Damn it! Immediately issue a state of alert! Inform them that Young Master has escaped! Quickly!”
“Yes!”
Meanwhile, Evangeline felt relieved, realizing that Carlisle hadn’t made an extreme choice out of nowhere, but had simply run away because he didn’t want to meet Grand Duke Guntram.
‘Well, of course. It’s not like the Young Master would suddenly jump out for no reason.’
But the knights were in an uproar, as if a fire had been lit under their feet.
“Mobilize the soldiers immediately to find the Young Master. However, sternly instruct them that they must absolutely not approach him closely. Understood?”
“Yes!”
The knights swarmed out of Carlisle’s bedroom.
From their perspective, Carlisle’s escape was an extremely serious matter.
In the past, whenever Carlisle had slipped out of the castle, major incidents had always occurred…
***
Carlisle immediately left the inner city and headed for the bustling streets of the outer city.
‘No way. They’re probably going to try to make me do some bothersome thing again.’
Carlisle was determined to do anything to escape the clutches of Grand Duke Guntram.
Just being sent to the limbs—the battlefield—was already infuriating enough; it seemed like they were going to bother him with this and that, so he didn’t want to face them.
‘I need to put up some resistance so they’ll bother me less. If I’m too obedient, they’ll just order me around more.’
That was the reason for his escape.
‘Let me just hole up in an inn or something and get some sleep. Actually, that’s a good idea. Let’s just hole up for a few days.’
On his way to a nearby inn.
“Gasp!”
“I-It’s Young Master Carlisle!”
“Everyone, run away!”
“Kyaaah!”
The territory’s residents who spotted Carlisle ran away as if a monster had appeared, shouting ‘Save yourselves!’
“Hmph.”
Carlisle let out a bitter laugh seeing the once-crowded street empty out in the blink of an eye.
It was a testament to how severe Carlisle von Sigmar’s past tyranny had been.
Of course, not everyone ran away from Carlisle.
“S-so handsome.”
“How can someone be that handsome? Sigh.”
Some young women, far from running away, stared at Carlisle, mesmerized.
They looked like moths flying towards a flame.
Like moths that don’t know they’ll get burned, rushing towards the fire.
“I think I can understand the psychology of those who like men.”
Even a large, bald middle-aged man admired Carlisle upon seeing him.
‘I guess I need to wear a hood or something. How does everyone know me?’
It was natural for the territory’s residents to recognize the child of their ruler, Grand Duke Guntram, but Carlisle was just too conspicuous.
Even without mentioning his past misdeeds, his excessive good looks naturally drew attention, a side effect that wasn’t really a side effect.
“Gasp!”
The clothing store owner made a face as if he’d seen a ghost the moment he spotted Carlisle.
“Give me a cloak with a hood.”
“Ye… yes?”
“Didn’t you hear? I said give me a cloak with a hood.”
“Ah, understood. What color would you like?”
“Something inconspicuous.”
“As for the price range… Understood. I’ll bring it right away.”
The store owner, seeing Carlisle’s expression, quickly brought a black cloak with a hood.
“The material, however.”
“A-Are you dissatisfied? Should I bring another…”
“Forget it. What can you expect from a trashy shop like this.”
*Clink, clink.* Carlisle tossed a few coins onto the shop floor.
‘You mannerless bastard! Throwing money on the floor? I gave you the best cloak in the shop!’
The shop owner inwardly cursed Carlisle while trying to pick up the coins from the floor, but then he noticed something strange and flinched in surprise.
“Th-this is…”
*Glitter, glitter!*
What Carlisle had thrown on the floor were none other than gold coins.
Upon counting, there were a full 11 of them.
“Young… Young Master?”
“What.”
“This is too much…”
“What, is it too little?”
“No, no, sir!”
The shop owner desperately waved his hands.
“It’s too much, Young Master. This cloak is worth only two gold coins at most. I’ll give you the rest back…”
“Are you telling me to touch money that’s fallen on the floor?”
“Th-that’s…”
“Keep it. Use it to supplement your meager livelihood. Running a trashy shop like this, you’ll probably go bankrupt and become a beggar soon anyway.”
After saying that, Carlisle left the shop as if he had no regrets.
“That mannerless bas… No, wait.”
The shop owner was about to curse Carlisle but closed his mouth after looking at the handful of gold coins in his palm.
“Should I be upset about this, or happy…”
The shop owner didn’t know what to do.
‘Ugh.’
Meanwhile, Carlisle was shuddering because playing the part of a ruffian, something he was doing for the first time, really didn’t suit his nature.
But he needed to show that his temper hadn’t been broken, even if it meant acting like this.
Only then would Grand Duke Guntram not bother him or place any expectations on him, instead just hoping he wouldn’t cause trouble.
“One room. Give it to me.”
“How long will you be staying, guest?”
“I’m not sure about that myself.”
“I’m sorry to say this, but room fees are paid in advance. If you plan to stay for an indefinite period, a deposit is…”
*Thud.* When Carlisle placed a few gold coins on the counter, the innkeeper’s attitude did a complete 180.
“Oh my, please come in. I’ll show you to our best room.”
Although he said it was the best room, the room was shabby beyond compare.
But Carlisle didn’t complain or express any dissatisfaction at all.
That’s because he had deliberately chosen the shabbiest inn in preparation for the possibility that Grand Duke Guntram might come to capture him.
The innkeeper’s words were most likely true.
This room was probably ‘relatively’ the cleanest and most spacious one available.
“Have meals brought to the room at mealtimes.”
“Yes, guest. Of course. Hah-hah.”
The innkeeper, seemingly having gotten his hands on gold coins for the first time in a long while, was ready to give him the moon and the stars.
*Thump.* Carlisle flopped down onto the hard, smelly bed.
Suddenly, he let out a soft laugh.
“This feels more comfortable than my own room.”
Muttering to himself, Carlisle closed his eyes to catch up on his lack of sleep.
And before long, he fell into a deep sleep.
It seemed that, as Maranello had said, he had become more accustomed to the battlefield in just two months.
***
“…So.”
Grand Duke Guntram looked at Maranello with an expression of disbelief.
“He ran away, you say? Right after I summoned him?”
“I am ashamed to report this, but yes.”
Maranello closed his eyes tightly as if finding it difficult to speak.
“What do you think the reason is?”
“Hmm.”
“It’s fine, speak your mind.”
“It seems that the second young master finds Your Grace burdensome.”
“Burdensome?”
“More precisely, it seems closer to him rejecting even the slightest expectation from Your Grace.”
“Rejecting expectations…”
Grand Duke Guntram frowned.
“Have I ever put pressure on him?”
“How could that be possible?”
Maranello answered as if the idea was absurd.
“Your Grace has never had any expectations of the second young master. You only wished for him to fulfill the minimum responsibilities and duties as a Sigmar. But it seems the second young master thinks differently.”
“Do you have any idea why he thinks that way?”
“Hmm.”
Maranello thought for a moment before speaking.
“You must have already received the report, but the second young master has achieved remarkable growth in just two months.”
“Frankly, I find it hard to believe.”
Grand Duke Guntram’s eyes showed strong disbelief as he said this.
It was unbelievable.
That troublemaker, that problem child who had almost severed his own father’s arm, had achieved distinguished military service on the battlefield?
And not only that, but he had also achieved Blood Awakening?
For those who knew Carlisle’s past, it was absolutely unbelievable.
“I’ll admit that the boy has changed a bit. But Blood Awakening? Blood Awakening isn’t something just anyone can achieve. You know that well too, don’t you? I can’t believe it until I see it with my own eyes…”
“That’s not what’s important right now, Your Grace.”
“Hmm.”
“It seems the second young master is concerned that Your Grace’s attitude toward him will change due to his growth.”
“…!”
“After all, if you show ability, isn’t it human psychology to have expectations accordingly?”
“I suppose so. I won’t deny that.”
Grand Duke Guntram revealed his complicated feelings.
“As a father, I want nothing from him and expect nothing from him. I only wish for him to live healthily and happily. But the ruler of Decaron is different. I have no choice but to demand at least the minimum responsibilities and duties as a Sigmar.”
“Of course I understand.”
“It’s truly a terrible thing. To be the head of the Sigmar family, the ruler of Decaron. I can’t even see my own child’s face when he’s on his first vacation as I please.”
“Your Grace…”
“I understand what you’re saying. I’ll leave him alone for a few days. He probably needs his own time too.”
Maranello seemed to understand Grand Duke Guntram’s feelings and couldn’t bring himself to say anything.
Perhaps it was impossible for a good ruler and a good father to coexist.
And that was probably the weight that a ruler inevitably had to bear.
“Your Grace.”
“Speak.”
“If you need to ask something of the second young master, try making a suggestion rather than a command.”
“A suggestion…?”
“As you know, the second young master has a personality that strongly dislikes anything coercive.”
“Well, that’s true. He’s the most contrary person in the world.”
“But if you coax him with something tempting as a reward, rather than a command, he might unexpectedly become obedient.”
“A tempting reward. But even if I want to propose a reward, doesn’t he only like drinking and debauchery? As a father, I can’t provide my son with entertainment.”
Grand Duke Guntram spoke as if the very thought was unpleasant.
“Heh-heh.”
Maranello let out a dry laugh.
“From what I’ve observed, the young master seems to have lost interest in drinking and debauchery.”
“That’s welcome news. But if he’s lost interest in drinking and debauchery, doesn’t that mean he has nothing he likes anymore? Then how can I make a tempting proposal? To someone who has nothing he likes.”
“Well, that’s a problem Your Grace will have to ponder yourself, isn’t it?”
“Ahem.”
Grand Duke Guntram made an expression as if the mere thought was giving him a headache.
“Then, this old man will take his leave now.”
“Very well.”
After Maranello left.
“A tempting reward…”
Grand Duke Guntram continued to ponder for a long time about what could possibly entice Carlisle.
