Reader’S Regeneration Life [EN]: Chapter 79

79

Homeward Bound

“Lord Zion.

We are ready to depart.”

The soldiers who had been injured by the sudden attack of the Skyfolk were now fully recovered. With the investigation by Baron Conean concluded, Zion and his party were able to set off for the Margrave of Klausen’s territory once more.

Zion nodded and glanced at another carriage behind them.

‘…I hope nothing happens.’

Vice Commander Schumacher, acting on behalf of the royal family, had confiscated all the goods from the Conean barony and provided Zion’s party with two of the largest and most luxurious carriages.

Since this was done in the name of the royal family, no one would be able to question it later.

‘But Vice Commander?

Why two carriages…’

‘Ah, the female mage accompanying Lord Zion and Lady Lucia requested it.

They felt it would be inappropriate to be seen traveling with Lord Zion and cause gossip, so they asked for an additional carriage.

Of course, I was happy to accommodate the two ladies.’

Schumacher seemed to think Lilith and Lucia’s concerns were valid.

Indeed, it was never good for a noble’s son to be caught up in strange rumors.

‘But why do I keep worrying?’

Lucia and Lilith.

This is quite the troublesome combination.

To make matters worse, just before departure, Lilith told Rishikida to come into the carriage with them.

She said she had something important to discuss.

Rishikida seemed to resist a bit, but Lucia grabbed her hand and pulled her into the carriage, a scene Zion witnessed clearly.

“…”

What the hell is going on?

What is it?

What on earth is it?

It’s said that it’s best for men not to wonder or interfere with what women do, but Zion couldn’t sit still, feeling uneasy.

‘This is driving me crazy.’

Could Lilith be trying to establish a hierarchy [a power dynamic]?

No, she clearly stated that she wouldn’t be jealous, so she wouldn’t do anything so childish.

Then?

Why are the three women going together?

‘Damn it!

Full brain power!

What is it, what is it!’

His usually well-functioning brain seemed to be malfunctioning. Or perhaps it was normal not to function properly, as he hadn’t anticipated this at all.

Whether aware of Zion’s worries or not, the escort soldiers started the carriages.

The return journey, which had been delayed for days due to the sudden attack and the slave market incident in the Conean barony, was finally resuming.

“Haa…”

Normally, Zion would be racking his brains about what to do as soon as he returned to the Margrave of Klausen’s territory, but he kept sighing.

With something bothering him, he couldn’t possibly focus on the work he needed to do.

“Haa!”

“You’ll make a hole in the ground. What’s bothering you so much?”

At the sound of the clear, young voice, Zion lowered his gaze slightly.

His eyes weren’t directed at the opposite seat where someone should be sitting, but at the floor.

And there.

“Kyaang.”

Winnie was sitting, her golden cat eyes sparkling, stroking her light sky-blue hair as if looking at the sky, her ears perked up and her tail wagging.

“…”

“Why? Why are you looking at me like that?”

“Sit on the chair instead of the floor.”

“It’s more comfortable here.”

“Come on.”

Zion said, tapping the sofa opposite him with his hand.

Winnie stared at Zion for a moment, then quickly got up and sat on the chair with a very swift movement.

The only small problem was that she was sitting right next to Zion, not across from him.

“Benefactor.”

“It’s Zion.”

“Ah, right.

Zion.

That woman is dangerous.

Get rid of her immediately or run away!”

“How many times do I have to say it? She’s not that kind of person.”

Zion dismissed her, telling her not to say such nonsense, but Winnie spoke in an even more shrill voice.

“Kyaak!

Dangerous!

Even now, look! You call her ‘that kind of person’!

How can a human call a demon that?

You humans hate demons!”

“There are exceptions.”

“Then explain it to me!

Why are you acting like that!”

Zion groaned.

The Bond of Allegiance was like a secret of the Succubus clan.

If it were revealed to the outside world, forces might try to exploit it, and the race itself would be in great danger.

That’s why Lilith made Zion promise, when they made the contract, to please refrain from telling anyone the details of the contract.

Zion, of course, was extremely reluctant to reveal the weaknesses of Lilith, his most powerful ally, and kept the secret.

Therefore, Margrave Lichten, Raido, Lucia, and others only knew that he had made ‘some’ contract with Lilith, but not the details.

“I’m sorry, but I can’t tell you the details.

But there is definitely a contract between me and Lady Lilith, and we will never do anything that harms each other for that purpose.”

“Ugh… But demons are dangerous!

They’re bad guys!”

Winnie cried out as if a child was stubbornly insisting on something.

Beastkin, like humans, had been indoctrinated with the idea that ‘demons are evil beings.’

They couldn’t escape the Skyfolk’s grand scheme either.

“Winnie Portable.”

“Yes, Benefactor!”

“First.

My name is Zion.

How many times have I told you already?”

“Fifteen times now!”

“…Please don’t make it twenty.

And second.

You should stop thinking that demons are always evil.”

“Why?

You humans say that too, don’t you?

Demons are bad.

They’re evil.”

It’s said that the hardest thing in the world is to explain one case to children.

That was exactly the situation.

Zion pondered how to explain this situation so that the cat girl could accept it, and then he opened his mouth.

“You know how humans think of you beastkin and other races, right?”

“…Of course.

As proof, I was captured and suffered like this.”

Winnie hissed and stretched out her hand, revealing the claws hidden inside, as if she would grind her teeth at the thought.

It was a terrifying sight, but Zion tapped the cat girl’s nose and opened his mouth.

“Ouch!”

“Don’t tear the chair.

Put your claws away.”

“Don’t, don’t hit my nose!

It’s a sensitive area!

Ugh!”

Most beastkin hated having their noses hit.

It was because it was the area responsible for the most important sense, smell, along with sound.

“Anyway, the reason humans do such things to you other races is because they implicitly believe that ‘other races are inferior to humans.’

What if I had been one of those common humans with that perception?”

“…I would probably be lying somewhere now, my body and mind ruined like the other women.”

Zion nodded as if she was right.

He gently stroked her head as a sign of praise, and Winnie quickly waved her hand as if telling him not to, and hissed briefly.

Of course, her tail was wagging, so it was clear that she wasn’t serious.

“But I was the type who thought that you other races were no less than us humans.

In the end, we all cry when we’re in pain and laugh when something good happens.

I thought that way and took action, and what was the result?

Everyone, including you, was eventually freed, right?

The situation, which would have been a repetition of terrible things if we had fixed ideas and prejudices, changed in an instant.”

“I don’t understand what you’re saying.”

“Think about it easily.

What did you other races think of us humans?”

“…I thought they were bad guys.

I thought they were insidious [deceitful].”

“Good.

Some, no, more than half of them are trash.

Then what about me?

Am I also a bad guy and an insidious piece of trash?”

At Zion’s question, Winnie shook her head vigorously as if to say absolutely not.

Rather, she perked up her ears, saying that he was the benefactor who had saved her and the guards.

“Yes.

In the end, no one in the world is fixed.

Some are kind, and some are bad.

And some are con artists who are kind or bad depending on their needs.”

“So?”

“Don’t judge by looking at only one thing, Winnie Portable.

Maybe there’s a shining gem among all the trash, right?”

Winnie nodded as if she finally understood Zion’s words a little.

Then, she stared at his face for a moment and opened her mouth.

“So, Zion doesn’t see us beastkin in a bad light?”

“Of course not.”

“That demon too?”

“That’s right.

Of course, it’s a bit complicated, but at least I don’t think she approached me with the intention of plotting something terribly evil and bad, as you said.”

Zion was emphasizing the part that ‘there is a complicated reason.’

Right now, this cat girl is worried that Lilith might be trying to harm her benefactor, so she followed him with the intention of repaying his kindness and protecting him.

But if he concludes here that there is no problem with Lilith!

She’s a very kind older sister!

This cat might quickly lose interest and disappear somewhere.

‘If I make my relationship with Lilith ambiguous, she’ll wonder how to repay my kindness, and then I can use a suitable excuse to keep her by my side. That’s all it takes.

I might be able to improve relations with the Myoen tribe soon?’

Kim Yu-hyun began to build relationships with the Myoen tribe and persuade the beastkin much later than now.

Of course, there wasn’t much time left before the Skyfolk’s attack, so he couldn’t gather many allies, and in the end, most of the named figures on the beastkin side met a futile end, killed by the Skyfolk, radical fairies, and fanatical humans.

‘It won’t be like that this time, you guys.

You damn con artist pigeons [referring to the Skyfolk].

I’m going to make you suffer.

You sons of bitches!’

When they caused the Great Continental War and all the races attacked the demons, they stood behind and sang hymns, saying, ‘Cheer up, heroes.

The light of justice is cheering you on!’

When most of the demons were dead or injured and lost their power, and the other races, including humans, were exhausted from the great battle and unable to move, the Skyfolk spouted nonsense, saying, ‘Too much blood has been shed in the world.

The resentment and tears make my heart ache, so the world must be purified,’ and activated the ‘Seven Trumpets,’ the world purification protocol.

It was truly a feast of garbage deeds that even economic criminals would slap their knees and exclaim, ‘These are amazing pigeon bastards!’

Zion had no intention of participating in that fantastic brain fart show that would happen in the future.

And in order to splash shit on the Skyfolk’s plan, he needed more people who would listen to his sweet talk rather than their hymns.

“Zion’s answer is strange.

Are you sure that woman isn’t a bad demon?”

“I don’t think I can give you a detailed answer.

Sorry.”

He gives a troubled smile, full of energy that says he shouldn’t answer.

He himself doesn’t know it, but as someone watching, he strongly feels that it is strange and suspicious.

So, he doesn’t recklessly pick a fight with Lilith, but he also doesn’t let her jump to conclusions and distance herself from Zion.

‘If I’m managing my fish pond [keeping options open], I can just say I got a stray cat, right?’

As Zion expected, Winnie couldn’t hide her uneasy feelings and pondered something diligently before turning her head away with a hmph!

“I’m sorry if I was worried for nothing.

But I still can’t let go of my vigilance.

You humans know all sorts of stories about demons, right?

I believe you’ll understand this much.”

“That’s a relief.

Thank you for saying that, Winnie.”

“Wh, what are you saying?

You don’t have to thank me for this.

Hmph!”

Winnie was inwardly sneering as if she was full of dissatisfaction.

But her true feelings were already revealed in her ears, which were cutely perked up when the word ‘thank you’ came out, and her tail, which was wagging like she was dancing, so she was acting like she didn’t care.

‘That’s why cats are the best.

I can’t stop the tsundere [a character who is initially cold but gradually warms up] taste because of this.’

She takes care of you while saying she doesn’t care, and she takes care of you while saying she doesn’t like you.

Zion, who had already fallen in love with the tsundere charm of cats, found everything cute, from the wagging tail and the cute, perked-up ears to the golden eyes that were watching to see if he would call her again, even though she was pretending to be indifferent.

‘…Damn it, I shouldn’t open my eyes to strange things.’

I’m not a pervert, I’m not a pervert, I’m not a pervert.

While muttering, Zion unknowingly grabbed Winnie’s hand.

He wondered if the Myoen tribe also had jelly paws [soft paw pads], just because they were cats.

“Kyaak!

W, where are you touching!

Nyaaang!”

Of course, he had to face Winnie, who was hissing and blushing.