The Terminally Ill Prince is the Mad Dog of the Underworld (Novel) - Chapter 37
Chapter 37. Keep People at a Distance
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Discord
“Hmm.”
I paid attention to the depth and angle of each step I took. I observed how the muscles in my back and chest engaged in the sword’s trajectory, and checked how accurately the sword strike accelerated through my shoulder, elbow, and wrist drew its curve.
“Good. This is the feeling.”
Gradually, the sword in my mind was aligning with the sword in reality. You could say it was the process of Allenbert’s body implementing the sword that Karzan’s soul remembered.
“Hiyaaah!”
Shouting makes it feel like I can put more power into it.
Like Ivan who was possessed by gambling, I repeatedly thrust, struck down, deeply slashed, struck upward and retreated, lost in a trance.
There was just one small problem. My palms, still not used to the rough surface of the sword handle, began to tear.
Drip, drip.
Blood flowed through the torn skin.
But why? I felt a small thrill from that sight. Only the living can feel pain.
“…Young master!”
Someone seemed to be calling out, but I couldn’t hear anything. I just kept swinging the sword mindlessly until scabs formed and tore off again, leaving my skin badly mangled.
I knew I was swinging the sword quite emotionally at this moment. But I couldn’t stop.
‘If only my past self had trained more intensely.’
Even when the final moment came, I could have easily escaped Ivan’s encirclement.
‘If only I had realized the profound principles of spiral and penetration a little earlier.’
Then my death would have been the result of my own arrogance.
‘I mocked that actual combat was everything. But why didn’t I know that persistence in training the martial way even in daily life creates a higher level of mastery.’
Repeating regrets is what fools do. So if enduring some hand pain could help avoid the pain of getting stabbed in the gut, I had the confidence to repeat it as many times as needed.
“Young master! You’re bleeding too much!”
“Huh?”
Peter’s shout suddenly brought me back to my senses.
…The sword handle was stained red with blood. I could feel the guards watching and whispering.
“Young lord. Pushing your body this hard is not a good method.”
Even Olivier took the sword from me with a stern expression.
“…But it was just getting good.”
I handed over the sword while clicking my tongue.
“I apologize. But I’ve already called for a doctor. You should rest for now.”
“Aren’t you all being overprotective? This is nothing.”
I looked down at my hands, covered in torn skin and scabs.
‘Now they finally look like the hands of someone who’s held a sword.’
It’s shameful for a swordsman to have clean hands.
“Ow. Ssss.”
But the skin damage was significant. Once my focus broke, the familiar stinging began to torment my skin.
“Wow, this really stings.”
It felt like rubbing salt into the wounds.
“What came over me? Why did I act so crazy when it hurts this much?”
Peter grumbled at my change in attitude.
“See? We weren’t making a fuss over nothing.”
“Yeah, you’re right.”
As I tilted my head wondering why I had acted that way, Peter cautiously asked.
“But young master, there was something you didn’t tell us about yesterday, right? You seemed very angry since this morning.”
That’s certainly true.
The humiliation from last night. And certain emotions that had built up inside me seemed to explode after recalling past events I didn’t want to think about.
…But I had no intention of being that honest.
“Well, not really. Just had some unsettling dreams.”
At any rate, it seemed I wouldn’t be able to swing the sword anymore today.
‘At some point, I was swinging the sword like I was venting.’
If that’s the case, even swinging it ten thousand times would be meaningless.
Having finally cooled down, I said:
“Let’s eat.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Since you need treatment, it would be better to eat in your bedroom today.”
I nodded at Olivier’s words.
“Let’s do that.”
I gave Olivier a subtle glance before speaking again.
“By the way, Olivier.”
“Yes, young lord.”
“Has the approval not come through yet?”
“…No. But you should be able to go out by tomorrow at the latest.”
“I see. Can’t be helped today then.”
“Yes. Please wait a little longer while we arrange your security detail.”
“Alright.”
We deliberately discussed the outing plans where many ears could hear.
“…”
I noticed several guards trying to discreetly observe and listen to us.
Could their eyes and ears belong to Verdzich? Who knows. Verdzich’s unit is the 2nd Battalion, and these guards are from different units.
But there’s no guarantee that that cunning man’s influence hasn’t reached other units.
“Hey Peter. Hasn’t that guy been staring at me intensely for a while now?”
“Ah, I actually felt that too.”
I pointed to a guard whose every movement seemed oddly affected.
“…Ah.”
Olivier sighed as if recognizing him.
“Who is he?”
“Guard Keseg. Third son of a vassal family. He’s ambitious and power-hungry, always trying to curry favor with the Second Prince.”
“If his intentions are that transparent, he must have been making quite a spectacle of himself.”
“Yes.”
“Then he must be itching to show off right now?”
I smiled while looking directly at Keseg.
“For example, by humiliating the pathetic Fourth Prince who was recently rude to the Second Prince in a duel.”
“…You mustn’t fight.”
Olivier stood blocking my view of Keseg.
“Who said anything about fighting?”
I clicked my tongue while looking at Olivier’s worried expression.
“I’m just saying he might try to pick a fight.”
Though apparently not yet. Despite his looks, he seems quite cowardly.
“Also, young lord.”
“Yes?”
Olivier made a complicated expression.
“…If something’s weighing on your mind, please share it with us.”
To that, I couldn’t say I understood. Not yet.
“I’ll try.”
I looked down at my palms again.
‘What a shame. I felt like I was about to realize something.’
It’s frustrating that my body won’t keep up. But let’s not rush. You can’t travel a thousand miles in one night on enthusiasm alone.
* * *
I returned to my bedroom to get treatment for my palm wounds. Then-
“Young lord. I came as requested.”
“Well, who do we have here.”
Doctor Josef carefully opened the door and entered.
“I heard your injuries were severe.”
I showed him my palms.
“Ah, this.”
Josef asked in surprise.
“Did this happen while practicing with a sword?”
“It’s nothing. Just overdid it a bit.”
“Hmm.”
“My hands were like a baby’s from not holding a sword for so long.”
“Even so, this is too…”
I cut off Josef’s words.
“I didn’t expect you to come personally.”
“…”
“I heard you’ve been in charge of my care, but why haven’t you shown your face since I woke up?”
“I apologize.”
Josef glanced between me and Olivier, explaining in a shrinking voice.
“It’s a poor excuse, but my master forbade me from coming.”
“Why?”
“He feared I might say things I shouldn’t out of sympathy for Prince Allenbert.”
Unlike Rudan, it seems the court physician had strong self-preserving tendencies.
I had no intention of criticizing that. He was just looking after his own interests.
‘Besides, I already know everything I wanted to know.’
However, Josef seemed quite troubled by this.
“You’re a man who listens well to his master. But why come now?”
“I had a change of heart and went against my master’s words.”
“…Ah, was that necessary?”
When I asked in confusion, Josef answered as if embarrassed.
“It’s true that I presumptively felt sympathy for you, young lord.”
“And?”
“To be honest, I heard that you’ve become close with the Crown Prince. That put me somewhat at ease.”
“Ah, then were you not afraid of brother Verdzich?”
“…Well, with the eldest brother around, wouldn’t he be more cautious?”
Olivier and I exchanged glances at Josef’s strange innocence and his surprisingly straightforward revelation of his thoughts.
‘Is he usually this simple-minded?’
‘Generally, yes.’
No wonder his master stopped him from coming. I somehow felt sorry for his master.
“Josef. You’re unnecessarily honest.”
“I-I’m sorry.”
“No. I appreciate it.”
“Yes. Ah, let me treat your wounds while we talk.”
Josef applied herbs to my hands, poured potion over them, and wrapped them in bandages.
‘Wow, this stings like hell.’
I almost slipped into casual speech.
But a man who can’t endure pain is no man at all. I received treatment with a solemn face. Pinching my thigh made it more bearable.
“You endure well. Even the guards scream when they can’t bear it.”
You prescribe something this painful to me? I glared at Josef while responding.
“It does seem quite painful.”
“I’m sorry. This method is just the most effective…”
I’ve always thought that doctors tend to be excessively insensitive to their patients’ pain.
“Hehe, Doctor. It’s been a really long time.”
Peter laughed mindlessly.
“Have you been well?”
“Thanks to the young master, I have.”
I recalled Peter’s words about trying to get on Josef’s good side to help me even a little. Indeed, they seemed quite close.
“Um, young lord.”
Josef lowered his voice carefully, as if about to get to the main point.
“You can speak freely. There’s no longer any risk of conversations leaking from my quarters.”
“Ah, I see.”
Josef wiped his sweaty palms on his pants with a very tense expression.
“Young lord. The reason I came here, even disobeying my master’s orders, is because there’s something I must tell you.”
On Josef’s face, one could read hesitation, fear, and a bit of confusion.
“What could be so important?”
Josef barely answered while wrapping bandages around my hands.
“…It’s about the survivors of House Eisenach, your mother’s family.”
My blood ran cold.
“What did you just say?”
“I-it’s not certain. But perhaps…”
Josef hung his head low, unable to meet my eyes.
“They might be alive somewhere in Grünewald city’s underground.”
Why would Josef, a mere doctor, know this? How did he find out? Could he be delivering false information from someone?
Why, coincidentally, would Josef bring this up right after I mentioned going outside?
…Putting aside all those questions and possibilities for a moment, I said:
“Peter, Olivier. Keep people at a distance.”
This warranted extra caution.
“Y-yes, sir.”
“Yes.”
I had a feeling that whatever conversation was about to follow shouldn’t reach anyone else’s ears.