[Trantor - Pr?ks]n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


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    Chapter 26: He''s Even More Pathetic Than I''d Heard


    Marco was the type of man who couldn''t keep his mouth shut and had been living ufortably these past few days as if sitting on a cushion made of thorny rose vines.


    ''I thought I''d either be fired or, if lucky, transferred somewhere else.''


    Perhaps thanks to desperately scoring some points with Peter and Julia, he had barely managed to keep his position.


    Even he found it surprising.


    ''Since that incident, I''ve kept my mouth firmly shut.''


    On the day he witnessed Barva getting beaten, Marco felt the urge to tear off his own mouth that had been badmouthing Allenvert.


    ''Did Peter not snitch on me? I remember picking fights with him too. Ah, damn. What if I get beaten like Young Master Barva?''


    While he was suffering from the fear that he might need to resign and disappear immediately, a sudden meeting was arranged with Butler Olivier.


    ''He looked cold as ice. Those eyes...''


    The moment he met that man''s cold gaze, Marco confessed every sin his mouth hadmitted.


    He felt chills down his spine as he recalled all the trash he''d been talking. He expected to be pped right then and there...


    But nothing happened. He only received a cold order to leave.


    That wasn''t all. For some reason, Marco remained safe even as others were packing their things. Why?


    ''The Young Master must have taken pity on me. This is myst chance. I should live quietly from now on without drawing attention.''


    Where else could he find a job this good?


    Although the atmosphere seemed like it would be stricter, Marco knew well that he had nowhere else to go.


    ...It was during this time that Allenvert summoned him.


    "Oh, you''re here?"


    Just like when he was recklessly swinging and provoking Barva, Allenvert looked at him with casual eyes. That beautiful and delicate face now felt like that of a demon.


    "I''vemitted an unforgivable sin!"


    Marco immediately bowed his head.


    But Allenvert gave no response.


    "..."


    As an ufortable silence fell, cold sweat ran down Marco''s spine.


    "So you do have some awareness."


    The casual voice sank, and the tone became more dignified.


    Chills ran down Marco''s spine. Yes, this was it. This was Allenvert''s true nature - the beast hidden behind that fairy-like face.


    "I don''t want to see your face, so keep your head down."


    "Y-yes, sir."


    The transformed voice was so frightening that Marco thought he''d rather be ordered to lick the shoes.


    "Despite behaving so disgracefully, it seems you don''t want to be fired."


    A scathing tongue, like that of Karzan from the underworld, pierced Marco.


    "I''m so sorry, my lowly mouth hasmitted a grave sin."


    "How touching. To see even someone like you so desperate to make a living."


    "Y-yes, I am truly desperate..."


    Marco responded mindlessly, not even knowing what he was saying.


    "And yet, I seem to recall you saying that Icked desperation."


    "...!"


    ‘Did I really say that?’


    Marco swallowed hard.


    "What was it you said? That I was like a hothouse flower? That I was an idiot?"


    "S-s-s-sorry, sorry! I dared to speak such horrible things-"


    "Seeing you struggle to answer, it seems you''ve spewed so much garbage that you can''t even remember it all. Didn''t you know that sinsmitted by the tongue are more fearsome than thosemitted by the de?"


    Marco answered with a face that looked like he might wet himself any moment.


    "P-please kill me."


    "Should I really kill you?"


    "Eek!"


    "Even in this situation, you speak words you can''t back up."


    "I-I''m sorry, so sorry."


    Marco pressed his forehead to the floor.


    "Is death such a light matter to you?"


    He shuddered with dread.


    "No, it isn''t."


    Allenvert didn''t waste a single joke on Marco. The man wasn''t worth even that much.


    If Peter had seen this scene, he would have been greatly shocked.


    "Marco."


    "Y-yes, pleasemand me."


    Allenvert looked with contempt at Marco, who couldn''t even lift his head as he trembled.


    "There''s something your cheap, vulgar mouth needs to do."


    "...Pardon?"


    Marco was caught off guard and inadvertently raised his head.


    "Go around bad mouthing Barva. Until it reaches his ears."


    "Ugh!"


    Marco prostrated himself again.


    "P-please spare me! Please, I beg you to spare me! If I do that, I''ll lose my life!"


    "You talked trash about me so easily, but you''re too scared to speak ill of my brother?"


    At that moment, Marco felt a chill like a de pressed against his throat.


    "You must have thought I was an idiot."


    Like a frog before a snake, like livestock before a butcher, like meeting a madman who kills indiscriminately.


    Marco''s heart constricted with unfathomable terror.


    "Huh... huk."


    The snot and saliva dripping from Marco made Allenvert curious.


    "Then give me one reason why I shouldn''t tear that mouth of yours apart?"


    Shudder shudder.


    Faced with Allenvert''s question, emanating killing intent like a deadly de-wielder from the underworld, Marco waspletely terrified.


    "I''ll do as youmand."


    "Use your usual crowd to spread the nder. Then report everything you''ve said to Peter, without missing a single detail."


    "Y-yes, understood."


    "Now get out."


    "Y-yes, I''m leaving."


    Drenched in cold sweat, Marco left the bedroom and walked quietly for a while.


    Only after he had gone far enough that his words wouldn''t be heard, did Marco finally mutter timidly:


    "...Wow. I almost wet myself."


    Just that brief encounter hadpletely cowed him. He would never dare to raise his head again.


    ***


    "He''s even more pathetic than I''d heard."


    As I muttered this, Peter quickly agreed.


    "That''s what I''ve been saying."


    "I almost feel sorry for my brother."


    To think he''ll be ndered by the mouth of such a wretch.


    But my real purpose was to provoke those behind the scenes by having Barva insulted.


    I''m letting them know - getting involved with me will generally result in scandal, so be prepared... Well, that''s the general idea.


    ''I hope the message gets through.''


    If the Second Young Master is clever, he''ll understand my intentions. If Marco happens to get caught and beaten up in the process, that would be unfortunate.


    ''Though that''s not my problem.''


    That''s the karma for what his mouth has done.


    I stretched and turned my gaze to the window.


    "The sunset''s beautiful."


    "Indeed it is."


    "Go home after dinner. Come find me if anythinges up."


    "Understood."


    After sending Peter away, I went to the bedside and lifted the mattress.


    "Well, well, it really was hidden here?"


    The darkest ce is under themp, as he said.


    I pulled out a diary bound in parchment.


    ...In here lies the true inner self of Allenvert that I''ve forgotten.


    I quietly opened the first page of the diary.


    ***


    "Come closer."


    "Yes, mother."


    In a bedroom adorned with exotic fabrics, paintings, and sculptures, a nobledy radiated amanding presence.


    Barva approached his mother slowly, taking special care not to be criticized for his posture or movements.


    "Your hair has grown long."


    "I''ll have it cut."


    Emengarde Grunewald.


    The esteemed Second Lady of House Grunewald brushed her son''s bangs with her fan.


    "Barva."


    "Yes."


    "How far do you intend to embarrass your mother?"


    "...I''m sorry, mother."


    "You shouldn''t have be a burden to your elder brother as well."


    As his mother''s voice turned cold, Barva''s heart froze.


    "How was your period of self-reflection?"


    "It was a time of contemting my actions and feeling shame."


    "You speak well. I wonder if you spent that time just thinking about how to avoid punishment?"


    "No, mother. Truly."


    While the Second Lady would normally press until tears were drawn, today was different.


    "Your brother is keeping an eye on Allenvert."


    ''Again, damn it.''


    It was always brother, brother, brother.


    Mother particrly doted on her capable and astute son who understood her heart well.


    So much that Barva had been starved of maternal affection his entire life.


    "If the rumors are true, that child may have developed dangerous and presumptuous ambitions."


    The Second Lady spoke while hiding her face behind a gold-embroidered fan.


    "I suppose I should meet with him in person."


    "What? How could you, mother..."


    "I don''t mean a private meeting."


    The Second Lady shook her head.


    "I''ll arrange a dinner gathering for all direct members of the Grunewald n."


    "Ah!"


    Barva let out a sound that could have been either a cry or an exmation.


    "If everyone gathers, wouldn''t it be the first time in seven years?"


    "Indeed it would be. Though Lusatia won''te, of course."


    Originally, the direct line of House Grunewald would gather several times a year for dinner.


    That tradition became halfplete seven years ago when the Fourth Lady and Allenvert stopped attending.


    "Without thatmon immigrant woman and her mixed-blood child, our gatherings have truly maintained their dignity and ss."


    Despite her harsh words, her face remainedposed without even a wrinkle of her brow.


    "Until then, make sure to acquire good perfume and have new formal attire made. The First Lady, myself, the Third Lady, and all your six siblings will be gathering."


    "I will prepare ordingly."


    Barva felt his breath catch without realizing it.


    The situation triggered by his disgraceful behavior had somehow evolved into a dinner gathering that would bring together all his siblings and their mothers.


    How much scrutiny would he have to endure there? Especially from his third brother...


    "And."


    The Second Lady continued.


    "I n to send that child a medicinal elixir tomorrow."


    Her tone was like tossing gold coins to amoner who had been hit by her carriage.


    “Though I did not bear him myself, I must make amends, as your words almost brought misfortune.”


    Hidden beneath these words were the Second Lady''splex feelings toward the Fourth Lady''s son.


    However, Barva wasn''t yet clever or mature enough to read these emotions.


    "Know that I''ll be sending something special."


    "...Yes."


    "You may go now. If I hear that you''ve been neglecting your martial arts training hereafter, you''d best be prepared for the consequences."


    "I won''t disappoint you."


    "Please see that you don''t."


    After leaving his mother''s bedroom, Barva quietly bit his lip as he thought about his mother, brother, and Allenvert.


    ''Everyone treats me as an afterthought.''


    To think he would end up being overshadowed even by Allenvert, the only one he had considered beneath him.


    "Damn it."


    The boy didn''t yet know what to call this emotion stirring within him.


    [Trantor - Pr?ks]


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