Chapter 64: Tinnitus (2)

The underworld.

The hidden world ruled by Duke Cabaro under the name of king.

Here, the empire’s laws do not apply, and likewise, the empire’s fame absolutely does not work.

What is recognized here is only the strength and money he possesses.

That is why those whose names became known in the underworld were treated better.

No manipulation works at all.

The only way to be recognized is to prove one’s skills.

Thus, aliases attached in the underworld held even greater value, and although they could not be openly displayed in the empire, quite a few took pride in them.

Naturally, the majority of ordinary people did not know.

Especially for Aegis, a young elder who had never even entered the underworld, it was even more so.

‘…Drug Manufacturing King?’

Evan gave no answer.

He simply stared with eyes that showed no emotion, as usual.

He had never thought much about it before, but this time was different.

Shiver!

Goosebumps rising all over his body.

Aegis rubbed her arms.

Goosebumps were densely covering her arms.

That was how vicious Evan’s alias was.

Drug Manufacturing King.

Exactly as the words meant.

The king who manufactures drugs.

Since the empire’s laws did not apply in the underworld, drugs and illegal goods were openly traded.

A person who could manufacture such drugs himself.

An alchemist so skilled that he was called king.

He was worthy of being called the successor to the godfather of the drug world, the Drug King, Duke Cabaro.

She was simply bewildered because it clashed too much with the image of Evan she had seen so far.

“You… what have you been doing all this time?”

Aegis asked in a trembling voice.

“Don’t tell me you made money by making drugs?”

“Misunderstanding.”

“How is this a misunderstanding! Being too humble only makes inferiors climb over you!”

The one who got angry was the butler.

The butler protested as if he could not bear to see the future king Evan lowering himself, spitting as he spoke.

“The drugs made by Evan-nim are a blessing from the gods! They were distributed to everyone without distinguishing between the sick and the addicted, and everyone praises Evan’s fame and name! Even now, after leaving the underworld to learn more, no one has forgotten the grace bestowed by Evan!”

“I”

‘…A blessing from the gods? This place really is a cult…?’

Lapis muttered.

Her eyes darkened in a different sense.

Evan, whose eyes had darkened in yet another sense, glanced at Lapis.

She seemed to feel tremendous rejection toward heretics.

Since cultists and heretics were the same thing, wouldn’t she end up hating Evan too?

And if she tried to kill him because of that?

Aaaaagh!

His heart was already twisting from the pain of his dark history being dug up.

‘Ugh.’

The bitter iron taste rising in his throat.

The hemoptysis unique to his frail body, felt after a long time.

His head seemed to be going mad from the enormous stress…

‘That bastard really…’

Evan glared at the third-in-command with eyes that seemed ready to chew him up.

He had stayed quiet when the second-in-command was alive.

What wind had blown that he suddenly stepped forward?

He really wanted to kill him.

The third-in-command lowered his head, unable to meet his eyes.

Evan calmed his anger at the attitude that seemed to beg for his life.

Fine.

Is lacking tact a sin?

No, it is a sin.

But not to the point of killing.

After sending a glare that said get lost, Evan turned his body.

“The grace bestowed by the future king! Do not compare it to the devil’s phlegm sold by those who cannot even become peddlers outside!”

“Grace my ass! How is something that ruins both body and soul grace?”

Grrrrr.

The two growling at each other.

It was a hair-trigger situation where a fight would not be strange at any moment.

Felix, caught in between, had eyes shaking wildly as if he did not know how to stop them.

“Words do not get through.”

“That’s my line.”

Aegis clasped her hands together.

A subtle energy began swirling in the butler’s eyes.

“No matter that Duke Cabaro’s alias is Drug King…! Calling Evan the same is a different matter!”

“Do not casually call the king’s alias!”

“Evan is still young, so he can still return to the proper path. From what I see, you seem to be the problem too?”

Aegis clasped her hands together.

Perhaps because she was of royal origin, she reacted extremely sensitively to the word drug.

Being an alchemist was probably a big reason too.

Drugs had a terrible reputation, called the devil’s phlegm.

And they truly were.

Substances that destroyed the human nervous system and turned both soul and body into zombie-like states.

It was said that appropriate amounts could be medicine, but even that was addictive and needed caution.

In a world without such knowledge, what reputation would drugs have?

Making, selling, and distributing them were all condemned.

That was also why Duke Cabaro was strong.

Even though he was openly called the Drug King, he maintained an intact faction, and many praised or believed in him.

It was also because he strictly controlled so that drugs never leaked outside.

It was fine if someone who came to the underworld bought drugs and consumed them himself, but selling to others was illegal.

If discovered, not only would the imperial family immediately send people, but the duke himself would release men to hunt them down.

But people like Aegis, from the kingdom and who had held power, knew.

No matter how nicely it was packaged, the Drug King was the Drug King.

Selling drugs, and even strict control was merely management to prevent business secrets from leaking.

“So, first I need to subdue you. Then we can have a calm conversation.”

“Ah! To think such a foolish person still remained…! Even while being with the future king, you failed to realize it!”

The sighing butler.

He drew his sword from his waist.

“Then I shall teach you myself.”

“Bullshit.”

The moment the two were about to clash.

“Butler!”

Evan shouted loudly.

“Stop! Stand down!”

His voice rose for the first time.

It was unbelievable that this was the voice of Evan, who had always maintained a dry tone.

Mana scattered in an instant as if frightened.

“…!”

Everyone looked at Evan with shocked eyes.

Even in moments where he almost died, Evan’s voice had never risen once.

Just how angry was he?

Lapis unconsciously checked his mood.

Lapis slowly hid behind the carriage.

Aegis also calmed her mana.

The butler, as if he had never prepared to fight, sheathed his sword back at his waist.

“Butler.”

Evan spoke again in a lowered voice.

“Return now.”

“…But, future king.”

“Are you going to disobey my order?”

“Return. And do not mention me any further. Until I return again, I forbid it.”

“No! No!”

“Obey.”

The butler, as if he had never raged like a mad dog, stepped back and vanished.

It was unbelievable that his presence had not been pushed back at all even compared to Aegis, an elder of the Mage Tower.

Aegis also seemed to have cooled her head, her face less excited than before.

“Aegis.”

“Yes. Evan.”

“First cool your head and then let’s talk. I know you hate drugs and have questions about my alias. I think we need time to talk about that.”

Evan showed no excitement at all as he spoke.

It was not confidence either.

Just a tone that conveyed only the truth, without highs or lows or excitement, like stating information.

Aegis, realizing late that she had been excited, withdrew her mana.

“…Sorry.”

“No. I understand.”

Hating drugs was possible.

He was even called a manufacturer.

There were many who would not find it strange even if she immediately sued the imperial family instead of reacting like that.

This much was mild.

Instead, he would have to extract some compensation.

“You.”

Evan looked at the third-in-command.

So, his name was…

“What is your name?”

“Ahort, my lord.”

“Ahort. Return now.”

Evan spoke in a low voice.

To Evan, it was to not show his nervousness, but to others, it was like giving off pressure.

The third-in-command swallowed dryly and bowed his head.

He understood why Evan was called the successor.

Innate pressure, and charisma.

It was like seeing a young Duke Cabaro.

No, perhaps this was even more…

“I wish for a quiet return. I do not want ridiculous rumors that I have returned or anything like that.”

A gaze so cold it seemed it could cut an enemy just by looking.

“Understood? Ahortl.”

“It is Ahort.”

“Yes, Ahort. Understood?”

“Yes.”

The third-in-command closed his eyes tightly, feeling he had stepped out of line for no reason.

“I will keep it in mind.”

***

Evan’s party rode the carriage again.

The entrance to return to their residence was quite far, so walking was a bit difficult.

Evan was only looking out the window.

His energy had been too drained.

Seeing that, Aegis approached cautiously, interpreting it differently.

“Sorry, Evan. I should have listened to you properly.”

“No, it’s fine.”

“You said you didn’t sell drugs, so that must be it. You said you didn’t make drugs either, so I’ll believe you. Still, this isn’t enough… um, well. Should I do a naked dogeza or something?”

“What is dogeza?”

“It’s standing on your head naked, and then with your arms here…”

“No.”

“…No. It’s fine.”

He almost swapped what he thought and what came out of his mouth.

Evan turned his head.

It was because the image kept floating in his mind for no reason.

“So… how did you end up being called that?”

“That’s…”

Where should he start explaining?

It would be better to summarize simply first and then explain.

“It was when I came for the successor test.”

“Yes.”

“I only had alchemy, so I used that…”

Evan hesitated for a moment and finally said it.

“I treated erectile dysfunction.”

“?”

“?”

To put it simply.

“The medicines I made… were too effective, so I ended up being called that.”

The time was, yes.

It flowed back roughly one year ago.