The Terminally Ill Prince is the Mad Dog of the Underworld (Novel) - Chapter 36

Chapter 36. Did You Cry?

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In my dream, I was Karzan once again. The long journey of my life flashed before my eyes like a fast-forwarded montage.

‘What is this now? How absurd.’

I couldn’t speak. I simply stood there, arms crossed, watching those memories unfold.

I saw myself as a young boy crying after burying my grandfather, then becoming the leader of street kids, searching for shelter and food in the alleys.

By the time I reached adulthood, I had led those same kids into the underworld, gradually expanding our territory.

Before I knew it, I was serving under the man known as “Black Blade Daikin,” eating sword for a living.

And then, moments later, I was hearing the news that Daikin had died.

‘Well, that escalated quickly.’

Was it poison? Or did he get stabbed from behind while letting his guard down? I couldn’t recall the exact cause. It was a world where death came easily.

Anyway, in the dream, I found myself seeking revenge for Daikin.

“…You’ve come to me because you want to avenge Daikin?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“How absurd.”

The man I sought out was none other than the leader of a major organization controlling the underworld of a neighboring marquisate.

“What was your relationship with Daikin? Were you sworn brothers or something?”

“Not really. We weren’t even that close.”

“Then why go to such lengths?”

“What other reason could there be? I owed him a debt and wanted to repay it.”

“Well, you’re certainly a rare breed of loyal fool. Doesn’t quite fit your nickname of ‘Mad Dog.'”

“You’ve got it wrong. I’m definitely crazy.”

“Hahaha! Is that so?”

In the underworld, battles and vengeance were only worth pursuing if you had the strength to handle the aftermath. Since I lacked that kind of power at the time, I needed to secure backing first.

“Do you want me to lend you strength?”

“Just lending me your name will suffice.”

“Dependable.”

With solid backing, avenging Daikin wasn’t difficult.

…But to break the chain of vengeance, I knew that eventually, I had to disappear. I was already aware of that fact.

‘That’s why I sought him out—to ask him to handle things afterward.’

Revenge has no end. Knowing this, I wanted to escape from the endless spiral of hatred and killing.

‘I thought about leaving for some foreign land where no one knew me and living quietly.’

But life never goes as planned. The younger ones who had been with me since our orphan days insisted on following me, and I couldn’t bring myself to send them away.

In the end, we had to dive into another underworld—this time in Flanderen. Truly a cursed fate.

“Boss, this place is… Damn it. It’s full of scum.”

We settled in a small port town on Flanderen’s outskirts. Though small in size, it was a key transportation hub dominated by ruthless criminals who even the local lord couldn’t control.

These villains ruled over the underworld like kings, killing and exploiting the powerless without hesitation.

“Let’s kill them all. They’re not worth keeping alive.”

The town reeked of rotting fish and starving people. I took control of its underworld by cutting off the head of “Red Beard,” who had ruled over it, and tossing it into the streets.

“Thank you! Thank you so much!”

“Please tell us your name so we may never forget our benefactor.”

“…I’m Mad Dog Karzan.”

“Pardon?”

“Hahaha! Old man, why ask something like that!”

Bringing some semblance of peace to that area wasn’t difficult.

Over time, as things quieted down, I began sending back my loyal followers one by one.

“I’ve done enough now. It’s time for you all to find your own happiness.”

The kids who once relied on me after being beaten and starved in the streets were now retiring to start families or chasing their dreams on ships and wagons.

I would occasionally visit them for drinks as they settled into their new lives.

“Boss, do you remember Orlando?”

“I do. He always worried me because he wasn’t cunning enough. Should’ve let him go sooner.”

Those who never found peace and died were buried deep within my heart.

Orlando, Tommy, Henry, Servo, Moritz, Susanna… Their faces had already blurred, and I could barely remember them, but it was my loyalty to never forget their names.

I grew stronger and became a more solitary man. After gaining wealth and fame, I quietly supported orphans.

And then…

“Karzan, what are you so afraid of?”

“…”

Such a familiar face.

She always looked straight at me with sparkling eyes. But I could never accept her heart.

“Do you not love me?”

“Adeline, I’m sorry.”

Love? Family?

I feared that one day my wife and children would be killed as retribution for the grudges I had caused. I feared that the smell of blood on my hands would inevitably invite revenge.

Or that my son and daughter… might end up like the young Karzan who wept over his poor parents’ pathetic corpses, unable to escape poverty.

Ah, that would be unbearable. Even in death, I wouldn’t be able to close my eyes.

I was terrified of that tragedy and couldn’t accept her love. Looking back now, it was all fear.

“I understand. I’ll leave your side. Take care.”

“…Be happy.”

“I plan to. Goodbye, Karzan.”

Is she living well somewhere even now? She was a wise and strong woman. Surely she is.

Do I regret it?

‘Yes. I regret it.’

But look at how I ended up. Letting her go was the right choice. Wasn’t it?

‘…You’re growing weak. Don’t be more honest than this, Karzan.’

Karzan died long ago, and that moment has already flowed somewhere down the river of time. How pathetic to long for a bond that can never return.

And yet, despite everything…

“Ah…”

I opened my eyes. The dawn was faintly breaking.

“Damn it.”

I rubbed my eyes.

How pitiful, Allenbert. Crying over a dream like some pathetic fool. Isn’t that embarrassing?

“What a ridiculous dream.”

Just as I decided to go out and check on the underworld, an old memory visited me in my dream. It’s strange for it to be mere coincidence.

‘When you think about it, it’s madness.’

I’m trying to return to the pit of emotions I once wanted so desperately to escape from.

I drank the glass of water prepared by my bedside. When I opened the window, a cool and salty sea breeze blew in. The seagulls were busily crying as they flew across the sky.

“Heh heh heh.”

But my mood remained foul.

It wasn’t just because of the restless dream. It was because I realized that nothing much had changed between who I was then and who I am now.

‘Verdzich.’

I confirmed that he is the giant snake lurking in this city—a wicked serpent that will either swallow everything whole or kill with its venomous fangs.

I don’t yet have the strength to resist that snake. That’s fine though; my path has only just begun.

‘But what should I do with this humiliation?’

In front of everyone else, I acted boldly as if I’d confront Verdzich head-on—

But when we were alone together, I had to play nice so as not to provoke his wrath too much.

And Verdzich was no fool; he knew exactly what was going on.

‘How amusing and laughable my struggle must have been for him.’

The mask he gifted me was like a tip given to a clown who had performed an impressive trick.

‘If he thinks he can keep looking down on me like that, he’s gravely mistaken.’

Karzan’s circumstances were different from Allenbert’s. To be born into the bloodline of a duke and not make use of such an opportunity would be foolishness.

I’m no longer the man from the underworld who lost to the Dark King—nor am I the wolf of night who lived without knowing sunlight.

‘I will become one who shines brilliantly in gold while hiding the truth in the shadows cast by that light.’

And so, I will become as mighty as the Dark King himself.

‘Keep reigning from your throne. Someday far in the future, I’ll ask you what it feels like to be stabbed by the sword of the man you killed.’

I will take everything from the Dark King and bring him to ruin. And while I’m at it, I’ll also break Verdzich’s arrogance, who acts just like the Dark King. So much that it’ll hurt like hell.

‘But first, I need to survive in this hellhole of Grünewald Castle.’

Verdzich is a man who could kill me at any moment. I confirmed that yesterday.

If I want to compete for power with a brother who is willing to become a kinslayer if necessary, what must I do?

‘Either kill him first or become so strong that he wouldn’t even dare.’

One unchanging fact remains: only one person can become the head of the family. I have no intention of yielding that position to anyone.

‘It’s simple. Just defeat all my brothers.’

It’s rather comforting that the way to seize the power of this vast duchy is so straightforward.

Of course, there’s a lot to be done for that. Gaining the trust of the family head and rallying the support of the vassals is obvious, but…

‘Above all, I need to build overwhelming strength.’

If I master all the martial arts of the family, that alone would grant me significant legitimacy.

‘It won’t be easy.’

The strength of Verdzich, whom I met in person, was beyond comprehension. Even Karzan in his previous life might not have been able to defeat him.

But just because the mountain is high doesn’t mean it’s a reason for despair.

“Peter!”

At my shout, Peter rubbed his sleepy eyes and rushed into my bedroom.

“Yes, did you call for me?”

“Let’s go train.”

“Understood.”

Without a word of protest, Peter followed me and asked,

“Um, young master.”

“What?”

“Did you cry by any chance? Your eyes are red…”

“Shut up.”

“Yes.”

* * *

The dawn air blowing in from the sea was cold.

I stood in the foggy training ground and swung my sword aimlessly. I slashed through the mist, stabbed into it, then withdrew my sword from it.

Whoosh! Swish!

I adjusted my movements as I listened to the sound of my sword cutting through the wind.

‘Compared to Karzan’s body, my limbs are longer, and my hands are bigger. But my flexibility is still severely lacking.’

My body had changed, and because of that, I had lost almost all of my strength from my previous life.

So to adapt this body to the sword, there was no choice but to swing it over and over again until its weight and length were ingrained in me.

I momentarily forgot about Karzan’s sword style and thought about the guards’ training session I had watched two days ago. I imitated their movements and analyzed their reasoning behind them.

It wasn’t difficult. After all, I had stolen countless techniques in swordsmanship, spear fighting, and hand-to-hand combat.

How much time had passed?

“Hey, over there…”

“This is ridiculous. So early?”

“Look at all that sweat. He must’ve been out here for quite some time.”

The voices of the guards who came out for their morning training sounded distant as if heard underwater. I shut out their voices and continued swinging my sword.

‘Repeating basic movements is easy.’

But enduring endless boredom is hard.

“Huh, how can his swordsmanship be so textbook?”

“Did he watch us while we were training?”

“It’s as clean as if he learned from a master.”

“They say he unlocked his sword aura after just one week of self-study; truly remarkable…”

“No wait a minute. Didn’t his movement just now seem a little different?”

“This is absurd. Did he just apply what he learned?”

Though they are soldiers by profession, guards are essentially warriors at heart. They could see the subtle brilliance hidden within my simple movements.

‘Geez, they’re noisy.’

I could hear them chattering in admiration from all around me.

“Hey! Who told you to slack off during training?”

“Sorry!”

“You pathetic fools! From tomorrow on, anyone who shows up later than the young master will have their leave privileges revoked.”

“What?!”

Just as their captain barked orders at them, nearly breaking my concentration, I managed to regain my focus and slowly swung my sword again.

And then—

‘Huh? What’s this…’

I felt a tingling sensation at my fingertips and in my chest as if something was about to click into place.