Chapter 34: The Bet (1)
The Portville Sword Family, situated in the prime location within the Inner District of the Commercial City Marzen.
Two gatekeepers guarded the magnificent main gate, large enough for two big carriages to enter side by side.
Of course, guarding was just a word; in reality, they did little besides standing there.
Who would dare think of trespassing the Portville main gate?
Who would dare pick a fight with one of the top two families in Marzen?
Nevertheless, the two gatekeepers showed no signs of laziness, diligently watching the people passing in front of the Sword Family with sharp eyes.
To some, their demeanor might seem excessive, but they themselves believed such actions were the first step in enhancing Portville's reputation.
Therefore.
“Hello.”
“……?”
“Who are you. State your identity.”
“I’m Harang.”
“…….”
“…….”
The moment they heard the baffling greeting from the suddenly appeared black-haired young man, the brows of the two gatekeepers couldn't help but furrow automatically.
“Do you have an appointment with someone from this family?”
“Not really.”
“Is your reputation so great that you can pass through the Portville family's main gate without an appointment?”
“I don’t have a reputation.”
“…….”
“…….”
“Can’t I enter without an appointment?”
“Look at this crazy bastard.”
Crack, crackle.
One of the gatekeepers cracked his knuckles, making a threatening sound.
This was the first time encountering such a lunatic.
He had seen a few wandering swordsmen who abruptly challenged someone to a duel, but never before, since starting his gatekeeper job, had he seen such a young fellow with unclear purpose and identity attempting to enter the Portville family premises.
‘He must be a bit crazy in the head.’
There's an old saying that a beating is the cure for a madman.
He didn't know how the young man managed to get into the Inner District, but he thought a single punch would make him understand his place and run away.
Nodding, he strode towards the black-haired young man.
In response, the young man stepped back exactly three paces and replied.
“I won’t enter.”
“…….”
“So please don’t hit me.”
“Hey……”
“Isn’t it enough if I just don’t enter? I do have someone to meet, but we didn't make an appointment. You said I can’t enter without an appointment…… so I’ll just wait here. That’s okay, right?”
“Uh, uhh…….”
The gatekeeper who had cracked his knuckles turned his head to look at his colleague.
But there was no answer.
It seemed this was a first for him too, as he appeared unsure how to handle the situation.
It couldn’t be helped.
Most people unfazed by the gatekeepers' imposing presence were usually guests they couldn't treat carelessly anyway, while the opposite type would scramble to flee just from a glare.
This was the first time someone had calmly stated they would wait in front of the gate.
“What should we do?”
“What do you mean, what should we do? We have to chase him away.”
“But the justification……”
“This is the Portville Sword Family’s private property. Of course, there’s justification.”
“Ah, then.”
Harang, who had been listening to their conversation, took three more steps back.
His position shifted further away from the family grounds.
It was a place that, to anyone looking, would seem more like a public road than private property.
“Is this okay?”
“…….”
“…….”
The gatekeepers’ minds grew complicated once again.
Who is that bastard?
What kind of bastard dares to come all the way to the main gate of the Portville Sword Family without fear, tormenting them with an attitude like he's just joking around?
Just as they were thinking that.
Ding-a-ling.
With the clear sound of a bell, the firmly shut main gate of the Sword Family opened.
And a man in the blue clothes symbolizing a direct family member appeared.
Mid-30s, brown hair, blue eyes, sharp features.
Harang, intuiting that this was the person he was looking for, quickly approached him.
And said this.
“Hello. I’m Harang.”
“…….”
“Excuse me, but are you Mr. Carbin Portville, who caused a disturbance at Mr. Kane’s bar yesterday……”
Swiiiiiish-!
Thwack!
No answer came back.
Instead, the fist of the man called Carbin Portville erupted like fire.
Harang, who was still speaking, was struck on the left cheek and went flying with a clatter (U-dang-tang-tang), and the man, watching this with an expressionless face, spoke to the gatekeepers.
“What are you doing not working?”
“Ye-yes?”
“Why is a gnat-like bastard like that loitering in front of the main gate? Were you daydreaming or something?”
“……S-sorry!”
“We apologize!”
The gatekeepers begged forgiveness with apologetic expressions.
It couldn't be helped.
It wasn't that they didn't have excuses, but even they thought the excuses were too shabby.
Besides, Carbin Portville was notorious among the direct family members for his violent temper, so it was far better to bow down like this than to talk back unnecessarily.
“Tsk, I need to lay low for a while, so I’ll let it slide today.”
Fortunate, if you could call it that.
Carbin Portville turned away without any further scolding.
The gatekeepers sighed in relief.
More than a few had suffered from his hysterical temper, so they felt this ended rather well.
But a moment later.
Fwoooosh-!
Thwack!
Clatter-!
“……!”
“……!”
The black-haired young man, who had been sent flying by the punch, approached and struck Carbin on the back of the head, causing the unexpectedly attacked man to pitch forward abruptly.
The gatekeepers stared blankly, alternating their gazes between the two with expressions that screamed they had no idea what to do.
How was this young man unharmed after taking a punch from a direct Portville member?
And what nerve did he have to strike a direct Portville member on the back of the head?
Furthermore, how would Carbin Portville, who had just been hit on the back of his head, react?
Such thoughts tangled complexly, resulting in a shock that felt like their brains had stopped.
Fortunately, Carbin’s anger wasn't directed at them.
Leaping to his feet, he turned around and glared at Harang.
Harang likewise stared back at Carbin.
In the midst of the fiery staring contest, it was Harang who spoke first.
“Why do you use your fist when someone is talking?”
“Ha, haha…….”
“Why are you laughing?”
“Right. What did you say earlier? Let’s hear that first.”
Grind, grrriiind.
The sound of teeth grinding could be heard between words, and one of the gatekeepers quickly ran inside the family grounds.
This was an action Carbin took when extremely angry, nearing an uncontrollable state that no one but a family elder could stop.
Of course, Harang didn’t know this.
Even if he knew, he likely wouldn't have cared.
Nodding his head, he slowly, calmly stated his business.
“I came because I found what you said unpleasant.”
“What? You? Unpleasant?”
“Yes. I heard this morning. That you told my friends they were ‘Worthless trash-like fellows who lack the skill or capability to receive protection fees’.”
“……So?”
“What do you mean, so? Naturally, I came to receive an apology.”
“…….”
“……?”
“Hoo. So, the reason you came here now is just…… just because of something said to some gangsters, is that it?”
“Um…….”
After pondering for a moment, Harang shook his head and spoke.
“They are gangsters, but they aren’t just gangsters.”
“…….”
“But yes, I did come because of that one remark.”
“You crazy son of a bitch!”
Carbin Portville’s reason snapped.
He couldn't understand. It was utterly unacceptable.
That a gangster bastard, no better than a beggar, dared to come to the family estate, that he was speaking his mind point by point right in front of him.
Above all, that he looked completely unfazed after being struck by his fist—all of it was incomprehensible.
Unacceptable.
Woo-woo-woong-!
An ash-gray energy shimmered like a heat haze around his fist.
Aura.
The fist, enveloped in dense Aura typically seen only in Expert Intermediates, was about to shoot towards Harang when.
“Carbin.”
A cold voice.
Simultaneously, an old man intervened between the two, swiftly grabbing Carbin by the nape of his neck and slamming him onto the ground.
Kwaaaaang-!
The impact was strong enough to crack the ground!
Violent coughs burst from Carbin’s mouth.
His appearance, bent over like a shrimp and coughing up blood, seemed pitiful.
However, Harang’s attention had shifted away from him.
He scanned the Portville family members who had poured out from the main gate by now, then looked at the old man who had suddenly intervened.
The old man introduced himself first.
“Pleasure to meet you. I am Philip Portville, the current head of the Portville family.”
“Hello. I am Harang, a friend…… of the Eddy Family.”
“I know. I’ve heard the rumors. That there’s a young boss who unified Marzen’s back alleys in an instant.”
‘It wasn’t unification, and I’m not the boss…….’
Harang thought, but he didn't bother saying it out loud.
It was significant progress.
Previously, words would have spilled out without passing through his spine (instinctively), making the conversation much longer, but the current Harang possessed tact.
Thus, he could tell.
That it would likely be easier to talk to this old man than the fellow he had just been scuffling with.
Sure enough, words that aligned with Harang’s common sense flowed from his mouth.
“Before I speak with you, I’d first like to say a word to my family members.”
“Yes.”
“Ahem. As you all can see, this is the state of someone who spends his time out drinking. How about it, pathetic, isn’t it? Not only did he get involved with gangsters when he had no business doing so, but he’s also in a situation where he lacks justification. It makes me question whether I should even recognize this troublemaking rascal as a direct family member.”
‘Hmm, getting involved with gangsters certainly isn't very good.’
The cool-headed and rational Harang agreed with the Portville Family Head’s words.
Whether bad gangsters or less bad gangsters, gangsters friendly to him or not…… gangsters were not very good friends.
However, even so, Harang had come this far to have their honor and efforts recognized.
Whether they were bad people was secondary; he had knocked on the Portville family’s main gate because he didn't think they lived lives useless enough to be treated as ‘worthless trash’.
Therefore, he couldn't help but cast a skewed glance at the Family Head’s subsequent words.
“Now then, returning to the main point, I’ll speak to you.”
“Yes. Please speak.”
“I have no intention of apologizing. I’m not talking about the disturbance caused at the bar. A clear apology and compensation have already been made for that. What I mean is, the expression ‘worthless trash’ isn’t entirely wrong for gangsters who lack skill and leech off others.”
“Hmm.”
“Of course, simply stating the truth can be offensive. Like how telling an ugly person they’re ugly can make them angry. However, coming directly to the great Portville family over something like that…… was not a good choice, I must say.”
Having spoken thus far, the Family Head turned his body.
Instantly, the two gatekeepers rushed to support Carbin Portville.
The family members who had come out to watch also seemed ready to go back inside the gate, their eyes towards Harang filled with a sentiment of ‘you got lucky’.
It was only natural.
If not for the Family Head’s personality of cherishing spirited talents, that young man would have had to leave one of his limbs behind.
Of course.
“What if you’re wrong?”
Harang did not accept it.
“What if they are not worthless trash, but people with skills worthy of recognition by the Portville family…… What will you do then? Would you feel like apologizing?”
Halt.
The young man’s statement, which went beyond brave and could be described as arrogant.
Hearing this, the old head of the Portville family stopped in his tracks.
Gulp. The sound of people swallowing dry saliva could be heard.
It couldn’t be helped.
Although the Family Head was now said to have a gentle personality, in his younger days, he was known to be even more hot-tempered than Carbin Portville; that was his true nature.
“Hm.”
However, his reaction was unexpected.
Stroking his beard once, he turned his head.
No, as if his interest was piqued further, he turned his entire body completely to face Harang.
And asked quietly.
“Can you…… prove it?”
“I can.”
“In that case…… I feel like it might be fun to make a bet on something. What do you think?”
His eyes, looking at the black-haired young man, were filled with a greedy emotion rarely seen in him.