The Terminally Ill Young Master is the Mad Dog of the Underworld. - Chapter 4

The faint light of dawn slipped through the curtains, illuminating the slumbering objects in the room. 

I lay there, listening to the distant sounds of the dawn, staring into the empty air of this unfamiliar room.

“Ah.”

As my blurry vision came into focus, so did my scattered thoughts.

‘So, Mad Dog Karzan has been reincarnated as a noble prince?’

The memories of my past life felt as vivid as if they had happened just yesterday. It was like waking up from a long, deep sleep.

But maybe because so many memories had come flooding back, the seventeen years I had lived as Allen Vert felt like a hazy dream, a blurry memory of last night. 

I sat there, uncertain of my true identity—whether I was Karzan or an intruder in Allen Vert’s life—until finally, I tilted my head side to side and stepped off the bed.

I’d sworn that if I was reborn, I’d come back as a dog and bite Ivan’s throat out, but who would’ve thought it would actually happen?

“This is insane.”

Hearing a smooth, refined voice coming from my mouth felt so awkward.

“Boss, please never sing. It sounds like a wailing ghost.”

“Karzan’s a great guy, but that voice of his… Awful.”

I’d wondered why they complained so much about my voice, and now I understood why.

‘First, I need to get a grip on my situation.’

Perhaps while I was delirious with the fever, the long-dormant memories of Karzan had resurfaced.

The specifics? I had no idea.

‘So, this body’s name is Allen Vert Grünewald. Age, 17.’

If my memory served me right, this family was a duchy in some kingdom in the central or southern regions.

And…

‘Beyond that, nothing much comes to mind.’

‘Where exactly is Grünewald? What is my father’s name?’

It was frustrating, like an itch I couldn’t scratch. I’d just recovered from amnesia, only to be hit with another wave of it.

“This is just great…”

Remembering my past life but forgetting my current one seemed like a kind of madness. Not remembering my own parents’ names—how was that any different from my old life as an orphan, Karzan?

‘I wonder if Ivan’s dead?’

I had no way of knowing.

I couldn’t even recall how I managed to break through that jewel box’s tough protection. After all, I’d been unconscious for seventeen years, so it made sense I wouldn’t remember the finer details.

‘First, let’s see what I look like now.’

I was about to search for a mirror when—

“P-Prince! My goodness! You’re really awake! Oh, this is the grace of the Lord, a miracle!”

A disheveled young man rushed in, nearly tripping over himself. 

“Are you feeling alright? Are you in pain anywhere? May I examine you—oh!”

“Whoa! You scared me.”

Turned out he was a doctor. He looked close to tears, as if someone had threatened him with death if anything happened to me.

“Wh-what do you mean by ‘whoa’?”

Seeing the doctor’s puzzled expression at my casual language, I quickly pulled myself together.

“Oh, my apologies. It’s been so long since I was last awake that I feel a bit dazed.”

Even though I’d spent my life wandering the back alleys and the underworld, I’d had occasional encounters with people of high status. Acting the part of a noble young master wasn’t too hard for me.

“Oh, yes, that’s right. You were bedridden for days with a fever, so you shouldn’t push yourself. Please lie back down, and I’ll…”

“Lie down? Why?”

“Well, I need to examine you…”

The doctor gave me a puzzled look, as if wondering why I was acting this way. It appeared this Allen Vert fellow was normally a rather well-behaved young master.

‘Well, that’s no longer me.’

I arrogantly sat down in the chair beside the rather luxurious bed and crossed my legs.

“So, doctor, what should I call you?”

“Pardon?”

Seeing the young doctor’s dumbfounded expression, I offered a plausible excuse.

“I’m afraid I can’t remember much.”

Of course, that was half true. What I didn’t remember were the memories of this noble young master.

“I can barely recall my name, but I have no idea where I am or what kind of person I used to be.”

“Ah…!”

Judging by his distressed look, he seemed like the sort of man who had studied all his life and couldn’t hide his emotions.

“Then I’ll inform your mentor right away.”

“Wait.”

I grabbed the doctor’s arm.

“Before you go, can I ask you a few things?”

Sweating nervously, the doctor replied, “Of course, Young Master.”

“It seems I had a rather severe fever, didn’t I?”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

“Was it contagious? Or are there any lasting effects?”

“After three days, the fever is no longer contagious, and no lasting effects have been reported.”

Seeing that he was answering all my questions without even realizing it, I asked again, “And what was your name?”

“It’s Josef, Young Master.”

“Ah! The more I listen, the more familiar it seems.”

At this, the doctor looked relieved.

“Oh, that’s wonderful! Please ask me anything else you’d like to know.”

How considerate.

“Josef, where exactly are we?”

“This is the capital of the Grünewald Duchy, one of the foremost cities in the kingdom of Lietvaleur, located in the heart of the continent.”

The kingdom of Lietvaleur, huh. That name was vaguely familiar.

“What position do I hold? Who are my parents?”

“You are the fifth child of Duke Grünewald.”

“Not an illegitimate child or anything, I presume?”

“Pardon? Oh, no, of course not. You are the legitimate son of the Duke.”

“Good to hear.”

Just in case.

“You have three older brothers and one older sister.”

“Am I the youngest?”

“No. You have one younger brother.”

“So, I’m the fourth son among the Duke’s five sons and one daughter.”

“Exactly. Your father is His Grace, Duke Georg Grünewald, and your mother is Lady Lusatia Grünewald, the Duke’s fourth wife.”

“… Fourth wife?”

‘The fourth wife? Quite impressive, Father. That’s the most wives I’ve heard of among the nobles I know.’

Whether he was fond of women or just had a powerful appetite for control, I couldn’t be sure. Nobles, in general, were even more secretive and dubious than us underworld folk.

“By the way, Josef, seeing you somehow warms my heart. I take it you’ve been looking after me with great care.”

The empty words I spoke brought tears to Josef’s small eyes.

“Thank you, Young Master. I truly did my best to care for you…”

“So, I guess that means I wasn’t in the best of health.”

After all, there’s nothing good about seeing the doctor frequently. 

Come to think of it, even when I grabbed his arm earlier, I hadn’t had much strength in my grip. I could chalk it up to not having eaten for a few days, but it felt like there wasn’t much muscle to begin with.

“Yes. I’m afraid you have been rather frail.”

“That’s odd. It’s as if I’ve never even held a sword.”

I glanced down at my hand, and Josef hesitated to answer.

“Well, that’s…”

“Please, Josef.”

“… In truth, young master, you have stayed in your room for a long time, drinking only thin broth, and rarely left. Only a few of us, myself included, were permitted to enter.”

“Why?”

At that, Josef fell silent.

‘Ah! The private matters of the high and mighty.’

There are some things people hesitate to say, and I didn’t feel like pressing him further. 

Up until now, he had been swept along by my forcefulness, but pushing him more would only make him defensive. That wouldn’t be wise.

Besides, I already had a sense of the situation.

‘An outcast.’

The fact that a young, inexperienced doctor, likely an assistant, was solely responsible for me was telling. 

The room was certainly luxurious, but it lacked the scale or decoration you’d expect for a ‘precious young master of a ducal family.’ And being the fourth son was also a somewhat awkward rank. The most obvious detail was that the Duke had allowed his own child to stay isolated in his room without intervening.

“There must be some story here. Apologies if I made things difficult.”

I didn’t miss the hint of guilt that briefly crossed Josef’s face.

“My apologies, Young Master. There doesn’t seem to be anything seriously wrong with your body, at least to the eye.”

“Well, that’s good news.”

“I’ll go fetch your attendant.”

“Attendant?”

“When I asked earlier, they told me he had informed us he would be arriving a bit late today, seeing as there was no guarantee when you’d wake up…”

From the way Josef defended him, it appeared this attendant wasn’t poorly regarded.

“Don’t worry; I won’t reprimand him.”

“Oh. Thank you, Young Master.”

Josef blinked in surprise. It appeared as if he was still adjusting to my change in demeanor. Then, he bowed to me.

“I’ll be back soon with a tonic to aid in your recovery.”

“Much appreciated.”

Watching Josef hurry away as though escaping, I sighed.

‘What exactly happened here?’

It seemed Allen Vert had been an isolated figure, locked away like an outcast. Almost like me before my grandfather took me in.

‘Oh, right. I was looking for a mirror.’

Finally, I caught sight of my reflection in the mirror on the desk.

“Whoa… This is insane…”

In a way, it was shocking.

Soft platinum-blonde hair-as if molten silver had been poured over them; creamy smooth skin, and features so finely chiseled they seemed carefully crafted—all of this framed in a sharp, small face.

And the hair itself? It looked as though I hadn’t washed it in days, yet somehow it didn’t look greasy at all.

“So disgustingly handsome. To think this face was wasting away in a room… Is he out of his mind?”

I might be a lunatic, but Allen Vert was no less insane. The sense of kinship I had felt with this guy was rapidly fading away.

“Annoying brat.”

Mad Dog Karzan was certainly a manly figure, but he had never been called handsome.

‘Only time I ever heard it was when someone wanted me to buy them a drink. Rotten fools.’

On the other hand, this Prince Allen Vert was truly a beautiful boy, as if sculpted from marble. Even if he’d been born in the backstreets, he could’ve made a living off his looks alone.

‘But his eyes give me an unpleasant feeling.’

His gaze was dull and eyes were dropping gloomily, giving him a frail, dispirited look. It made sense now why the young doctor was so taken aback by my sudden change in demeanor.

“You were living like a fool, Allen Vert.”

I thought of this boy who, despite being born with so much, had hidden himself away in his room.

‘Though I was a bit annoyed looking at that face in the mirror.’

Without knowing this boy’s story, I didn’t want to mock him as weak. I knew that nobles and orphans alike had their own struggles.

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. In my mind, the faces of Karzan and Allen Vert rose side by side. Seventeen years since my reincarnation—years that had allowed me to reflect on the pride and shame of my past life.

‘Pitiful, Karzan. How could you not realize what you left behind?’

What had become of them all? Had they survived?

Seventeen long years. 

Could any of them still be alive? 

Those little ones I’d cared for would be adults by now. 

How far must I be from my grandfather’s grave? 

And what of those who betrayed me? 

Were they still living well? 

So much time had passed.

And…

‘… Ah! The fire’s burning inside me.’

I looked at the flame rising in my chest—a dark crimson blaze. Who knew such a color could even exist?

‘Stay calm.’

When I opened my eyes again, the boy in the mirror had the fierce, deep gaze of a seasoned man.

“…”

That glare was unsettling. No wonder people avoided eye contact with me if I always looked like that.

But after surviving countless nights with just a blade, it made sense that a cold, deadly air showed in my eyes. They are the window to the soul, after all.

I relaxed my gaze again.

Nobles would probably wet themselves if they saw it. That would be troublesome.

‘I am Allen Vert.’

Karzan had died long ago. I couldn’t forget that.

… But if the shadow of the underworld lay over this duchy as well, then Karzan was not dead, and he would never truly die.

“Well then.”

Let’s get started. Where to begin?

‘First, I need to find the missing pieces of memory and piece together the puzzle.’

Only then would I know what to do next.

And one more thing—

‘The underworld surely exists here, too.’

Perhaps, in this life, I might have to walk the same path the Shadow King once did. That path as a master of both light and darkness, ruler of secrets.

I had painfully realized that my downfall had come from foolishly thinking I could choose only one—light or dark.

‘It’ll be a rough journey.’

But hardship has always been my companion.

With a strange feeling of fate or premonition, I closed my eyes.