Reader’S Regeneration Life [EN]: Chapter 10

Raido's Question

Raido’s question was utterly unexpected.

What did he think of his child?

Margrave Lichten pondered for a moment, trying to discern the intent behind the question.

In the past, he would have simply moved on to another topic after a brief exchange, but this time was different.

He, too, had just witnessed Zion’s sudden transformation with his own eyes.

“Did you perhaps meet Zion?”

“Just came from having a face-to-face and chewed the fat [informal way of saying ‘had a conversation’] with him a bit ago.”

“What reason could you suddenly have for such…?”

“I was thinking of taking him on as a disciple.”

“Pardon?”

Margrave Lichten wondered if he was hearing things.

The Raido he knew, whom he had known for a very long time, was someone who never readily let anyone get close.

Despite holding many titles—former court magician, legendary martial artist, and more—Raido was extremely reluctant to form relationships with people, to the point where he could count the number of people he considered close, including Lichten himself, on one hand.

Yet, such a man was proposing to make his eldest son, whom he had never even met, his disciple?

“Are you perhaps joking because you have nothing else to do?”

“You brat.

Even if I’m not in my right mind, I wouldn’t joke about something like this.”

“Are you really saying you offered Zion a position as a disciple?”

“That’s right.”

“What’s the reason?

I mean, what made you suddenly make such a decision, Raido-nim?”

“I figured you might know, which is why I came barging in like this.”

“Ah…”

“But there’s something even funnier.

Do you know what it is?”

Margrave Lichten shook his head, indicating he naturally wouldn’t know.

As if expecting that, Raido leaned back deeply into the chair and continued.

“The guy rejected the offer.”

“Pardon?”

“He refused to become my disciple.

I thought your son was just that idiot, that greenhorn from the rumors.

I just thought he was a piece of human garbage living off his father’s coattails.

Ah, was that too harsh of an expression?”

“No, that’s what the rumors say.

I admit it myself.”

“But you see.

Your son, whom I met today, was far too different from the rumors.”

“Different from the rumors…?”

“He’s been hiding and concealing himself all this time, deceiving others over and over.

That’s how he’s been lying low.

So that no one would suspect him, not even the vassals or family of the Margrave’s estate.”

At those words, Lichten recalled his conversation with Zion earlier.

The eldest son, who had shown a dignity and the appearance of an heir that he had never displayed before.

He had been taken aback by that subtly changed appearance, yet hadn’t he felt a sense of relief deep down?

He had just thought Zion was belatedly coming to his senses, but it wasn’t what he had imagined?

“Judging by your face, it seems you didn’t know either.”

“Are you saying Zion has been hiding himself all this time?”

“At least, that’s how it looks to me.

Unless my eyes are playing tricks on me.”

“Why would he do such a thing…?”

“Everyone has their own reasons, I suppose.

If I had to guess, I’d say he seems to be lying low as much as possible because he doesn’t want to reveal his weaknesses.”

“Weaknesses?

What weaknesses could that child possibly have?”

Raido glanced at Margrave Lichten for a moment, then simply shrugged, as if deciding it wasn’t his place to say.

“Anyway, that worry you mentioned before.

It seems to me that it’s nothing more than a useless concern.”

“Is that so.”

“He even tried to deceive me, and he almost succeeded.

He’s certainly not incompetent; he’s quite capable.”

“But…”

“It’s a good thing.

In times like these, when the world is in turmoil, it would only benefit the wrong people if the Margrave’s territory were shaken by the heir’s position.

If the heir is that reliable, it’s a relief for you and the royal palace.”

With those words, Raido stretched and rotated his shoulders as if his whole body was stiff.

Margrave Lichten watched him for a moment, then cautiously opened his mouth.

“How is that matter progressing?”

“It’s sluggish.

Just like the bald ministers in the royal palace discussing state affairs [implying slow and unproductive discussions].

There’s not a single thing you could call progress.

Damn it.”

If this place wasn’t the Margrave’s castle but somewhere else, Raido would have spat on the ground and rubbed it with his foot long ago.

Raido scratched his head in frustration, then let out a groan and continued.

“At least, there’s one useful guy helping me out these days, but finding another temple is no easy task.

I just can’t understand those damned demon bastards, no matter how hard I try.

Those rotten sons of bitches.”

“If there’s no progress, I’m a little worried.”

“Don’t worry.

I’m still maintaining the barrier properly so that no harm comes to the territory.”

“I am always grateful for Raido-nim’s grace.”

“Forget it.

I got interested and quit being a court magician to come here anyway.

I feel like I’ve gotten ten years younger from using my fists without worrying about anyone.”

It wasn’t a joke; Raido’s face was full of smiles.

In terms of age, he was an old man approaching sixty, but his temper and movements were hotter than those of any young man.

“That’s how my work is going, but are you alright?”

“What do you mean?”

“Are you trying to hide it?

I hear the atmosphere with the Kingdom of Nudia has been unusual lately.”

At those words, Margrave Lichten bit his lip and quietly nodded.

The neighboring territory of Nudia suddenly blocked the water source leading to the Margrave’s territory and remained silent despite repeated requests for talks.

Blocking the water source at a time when crops were ripening was tantamount to declaring war, so Margrave Lichten had recently been secretly sending spies to investigate the situation in Nudia.

“So Raido-nim was aware of that as well.”

“I heard it from my daughter.”

“Ah, Lucia-yang…”

“And my daughter heard it from your son.”

“From Zion?”

“Yeah.”

No, how could that be?

Margrave Lichten wasn’t just surprised; he was utterly bewildered.

It was a conclusion he himself had cautiously reached after piecing together various circumstances and reports.

Naturally, those reports were delivered through a secret contact accessible only to him.

Yet, Zion Claussen had never shown any interest in the territory’s affairs.

Logically, he shouldn’t have known about Nudia’s tense atmosphere or the blocked water source.

So where did he get such information? Was he anticipating future events and seeking advice on how to handle them?

“Want to hear something even funnier? That son of yours already knew my identity.”

“You mean, he knew Raido-nim [respectful title] was in the territory?”

“Yeah. He accurately deduced it from the smallest clues and spoke with such certainty that I couldn’t even deny it. It was as if he knew the answer all along. He was so confident that I couldn’t even lie and just stammered like a fool.”

That was true.

In fact, Zion was a novel enthusiast who knew everything [referencing a plot point or trope].

Of course, Raido and Margrave Lichten, who had no way of knowing that, were left admiring and marveling at Zion.

“Just how much does that child know…”

“It seems he doesn’t know about the eastern forest yet. If he did, he would have asked me how things were progressing. I don’t know if that’s fortunate or unfortunate.”

A vast forest lay to the east of the Margrave’s territory.

The discovery of an unidentified temple there was the decisive reason Raido had come.

After repeated investigations, they confirmed that demons had built the temple for their god, leading to speculation that the monsters occasionally appearing in the territory were due to the temple’s influence.

‘But after continuing the investigation, no such connection was found.’

No link was found between the temple and the frequent monster appearances.

Kim Yu-hyun and he were scouring the forest, wondering if there might be another temple, but they found no other traces, no matter how hard they looked.

If so, there must be another reason, but Raido hadn’t found it yet.

“Anyway, I came to tell you that you don’t have to worry about your son anymore. I wonder what was bothering that smart guy so much that he was putting himself down.”

Raido rose from his seat and began to draw a slightly more complex magic circle than before – a return magic circle to return home.

Then, Raido sighed and glanced at Margrave Lichten.

“Let me ask you something, Lichten.”

“I’m listening.”

“What do you think of my daughter?”

“…Excuse me?”

It was only natural that he couldn’t immediately answer such a sudden question.

But Raido grumbled, “Damn it! Like father, like son, how can they act so alike?” and urged him to answer quickly.

Margrave Lichten could only chuckle absurdly.

“I don’t know the intention behind that question.”

“Ah, damn it!

Hmm!

As a father with children—although you are a son [awkward phrasing, likely a cultural idiom]! Anyway, from an ‘adult’s’ perspective, what do you think of my daughter! Like, she’s graceful, or a very wonderful young lady! Something like that!”

Ah, now I understand what you’re asking.

Margrave Lichten nodded and said, “Certainly, perhaps because she is Raido-nim’s daughter, she is a very intelligent and wise young lady. I’m sorry to say this, but fortunately, she doesn’t look like Raido-nim, which is even more fortunate.”

“Oh, you little…”

“Doesn’t Raido-nim also acknowledge that part?”

“Hmm… Yeah, damn it. It’s really fortunate that my daughter resembles my dead wife’s face.”

Raido immediately agreed, unable to argue further about the appearance issue.

“Anyway, I’ll say that she is too good for any man she meets.”

“Is that so? Then there’s no problem proceeding with the marriage right away, right?”

“That’s right. But where did someone propose marriage? Raido-nim is currently hiding his identity, so how… Ah, perhaps Raido-nim has someone in mind?”

“…”

Is this guy doing this on purpose?

Is he a moron?

I’m sure I gave him all the hints I could, so why does he keep talking nonsense?

Raido thought that if he hit him on the head, he might realize why he was saying this, but he couldn’t bring himself to do it.

Still, Margrave Lichten was one of Raido’s few acquaintances, and soon he would be his ‘in-law.’

“Anyway, father and son are exactly alike when it comes to being clueless.”

“Yes, yes?”

“Hoo… To have to call someone like that in-law, and to have to call such a guy son-in-law. Oh, damn it, it’s my fate, it’s my fate.”

Raido muttered and disappeared from the spot in an instant, as if he had never been there, leaving no trace.

Margrave Lichten, staring blankly at the empty spot, slowly recalled Raido’s words.

‘He was hiding himself and deceiving others. He was deliberately putting himself down and looking around…’

The exact reason was unknown, but one thing was certain: his son was such an outstanding fellow that Raido would say such things.

‘But suddenly in-laws, son-in-law… What on earth… Could it be?’

Surely not.

He was about to concentrate on his work again, thinking that.

Knock, knock.

“Your Excellency, Margrave, this is Sebastian. May I come in for a moment?”

When Margrave Lichten agreed, the door slowly opened, and a sophisticated old gentleman in an elegant suit entered.

Margrave Lichten, looking at Sebastian, who greeted him with graceful movements, asked why he had come.

Sebastian glanced around and carefully said, “I came to talk about Young Master, that is, Zion Claussen-nim.”

“Hmm?”

Following Raido, Sebastian also brought up Zion’s story.

Listening to Sebastian, Margrave Lichten thought he knew his son better than anyone else, but that wasn’t the case. It seemed he needed to have a proper conversation with Zion.

Reader’S Regeneration Life [EN]

Reader’S Regeneration Life [EN]

애독자의 갱생 라이프
Status: Completed Author: Native Language: Korean
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Followed 3 people
[English Translation] Bored with predictable villains? What if you were given the chance to save them? One reader gets that chance when they're thrust into the body of the 'weakest' villain, a character destined for failure. But this new life holds unexpected promise. Dive into a world where even the most hopeless villain can find redemption, and discover if our reader can rewrite their story.

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