Reader’S Regeneration Life [EN]: Chapter 102

102―――――

If you want peace, prepare for war.

Helen left the Klausen estate at dawn the next day.

While most of the castle’s inhabitants were still asleep, she exchanged light greetings with the Lichten Margrave, mentioning that she would regularly send food supplies and that merchant caravans would also be mixed in, asking him to take good care of it.

As she was leaving the castle, Helen noticed the protagonist of a gaze that had been watching her from earlier and blushed slightly.

The events of the previous day came to mind, making her feel embarrassed, and she felt somewhat sorry as it seemed her past nightmares had been conveyed to others as well.

“I was very rude yesterday, Young Master.”

“Good thing you know.”

With his arms crossed, Zion replied with a gentle smile.

It was a very early hour, but Zion didn’t seem to mind at all.

Walking up to Helen, he looked at her for a moment before speaking.

“How are you feeling?”

“What do you mean?”

“It’s been a while since your revenge ended, right? And all those pretentious fairies who tried to use you have fallen away too.”

“···.”

“I’m asking how it feels to live a life without purpose anymore.”

At Zion’s question, Helen lowered her head, seemingly at a loss.

It was foolish, but her mind was so empty that she really couldn’t give any answer.

It wasn’t some kind of melodrama where the end of revenge felt empty or her heart was uneasy.

Because that detestable Kashgar family had collapsed entirely, and the slaves they had been secretly bringing in were discovered, Kashgar was ruined beyond recovery.

It was satisfying, refreshing, and so enjoyable.

‘Yes, I was definitely happy then. But after that···.’

As soon as the goal disappeared, she instantly lost her way.

She was still leading the merchant troop, but without anything to achieve, her interest faded, and even the reason to maintain the troop became blurred.

If she hadn’t participated in this merchant troop, she might have given up being the troop leader.

There was no need for her to accompany them, but she came to Klausen for a similar reason.

She wondered if Zion Klausen, that man, might teach her the answer.

But she couldn’t even bring up that kind of story.

When she saw the Myo-eun tribe woman who had been captured as a slave yesterday and almost suffered a great ordeal, however, she wasn’t treated as cruelly as Helen had been. Instead, she was next to a man, exuding a very happy aura, which made Helen feel relieved, sad, and envious.

So many emotions mixed together and poured out as tears, and she couldn’t even bring herself to speak.

“I don’t know.”

So the answer that came out of Helen’s mouth was, “I don’t know.”

“You don’t know?”

“Yes. I’m not trying to make fun of you, Young Master, I really don’t know anymore···.”

“Then you have to find out.”

Zion continued, as if stating something obvious, in an indifferent voice.

“Besides the food I requested as payment, you have information coming in from all over the kingdom as a large royal merchant troop, right? From the extremely ordinary to the sensitive parts.”

“···It’s hard to make a living just by trading.”

“Good. I’m thinking of giving you some work related to that. You collect the information, and I buy it.”

Zion was speaking very simply and clearly, but from the troop’s perspective, it was quite an important and sensitive issue.

Hainess is basically a merchant troop based in the royal capital.

Therefore, they deliberately kept their distance from other nobles in case strange rumors spread.

Also, collecting information is a very sensitive matter that could be considered espionage.

From Helen’s perspective, and from the Hainess troop’s perspective, joining hands with Klausen was a problem with considerable risk.

“Why does Zion, the heir of Klausen, want to collect information from all over the kingdom?”

“It’s not exactly all over. It’s the information from the areas I want. And the reasons for collecting such information are obvious, aren’t they? It’s to find and prevent other threats to the kingdom in advance, isn’t it?”

“···In my opinion, the Young Master who is with the demons seems more threatening.”

“Are you saying that I’m the same as those radical fairies and slave traders?”

The last words were intended to provoke Helen.

As Zion expected, she frowned slightly and looked at him.

“Listen carefully, Helen. If Lilith was really the kind of demon you think she is, if I had been 넘어간 [seduced] by that demon’s temptation and was going to do something strange, I would have done it in the royal palace, and before that, in this Klausen estate. Instead of saving the 异种族 [different race] slaves, I would have bought a bunch of them and had fun playing with them.”

“···.”

“Shouldn’t a merchant normally consider the immediate profits and losses rather than believing in fairy tales or myths?”

“That’s true.”

“Then judge for yourself whether I, Zion Klausen, am a person who will bring you profit or harm.”

With those words, Zion began to walk away.

He would respect whatever decision she made, but he left behind the implication that accepting his offer was the wise thing to do.

“···About that Myo-eun tribe woman.”

Helen spoke, stopping Zion.

“She’s not yet an adult.”

“Not yet. I think she’ll grow up soon.”

“···She looked happy.”

“Because she met a good man.”

Even Zion himself thought it was quite cheesy, but he smiled gently with an indifferent voice and expression as he replied.

At that, Helen looked at Zion for a moment before speaking with a very hesitant expression.

“I··· I wish I had received such salvation too, although it’s a past that’s too late now.”

“Helen Hainess.”

“Please take good care of that woman. From what I see, she seems to be more than just a benefactor. The Myo-eun tribe are very jealous, so you should be careful.”

It certainly seemed that way.

Helen forced a bright smile, bowed her head, and said goodbye.

“The merchant troop will arrive in Klausen periodically, so if you have any work or requests for me, please let me know. Of course, I will charge a transaction fee, so don’t even dream of anything for free.”

“I have a lot of money. Don’t worry and just do as I say diligently.”

Zion also refused any freebies without a reason.

According to the words of the ancient sages, there is no ‘free lunch’.

“Helen.”

“Yes, Young Master.”

“Keep an eye on the south.”

At the word ‘south’, Helen looked at him with strange eyes.

It was strange to suddenly tell her to watch a certain place, but it was even stranger because that place was the south.

“It’s been over three years since the pirates were completely wiped out. Are you telling me to watch the south, where the sea route is now prosperous and full of peaceful trading cities?”

“Put yourself in their shoes and think about it. If you were aiming to throw Hispania into chaos, where would you strike after the royal capital and Klausen?”

At Zion’s words, Helen swallowed nervously.

Certainly, the south had been stably conducting trade through the sea since the pirates were wiped out three years ago, and it soon became the region responsible for Hispania’s trade.

All threats have been removed, and it has become a completely safe area, but if it suffers damage, it was a region that could impact the entire kingdom.

“If you understand, start collecting information, secretly, so you don’t get caught.”

“···I understand.”

Zion nodded as if he had said all he had to say, and then approached Helen slightly.

Then, he lightly tapped her on the shoulder and said.

“Goodbye. See you next time.”

“Yes, Zion Young Master. I’ll see you then.”

“And, thank you for your hard work. Thank you for holding out so well until now.”

“···Excuse me?”

By the time Helen asked back and raised her head, Zion had already turned around and was returning to the castle.

Helen, who was blankly looking at his back, smiled and slowly opened her lips.

“Thank··· you, Zion Young Master.”

―

Jimmy Faker checked his body once again.

When he was injured, he thought he would die on the battlefield with such a serious injury.

But then, an unexpected person stepped forward and saved him, and eventually, he was transferred to the rear, received the necessary treatment, and was finally able to return home.

‘···It still feels like a dream.’

Jimmy scratched the back of his neck.

The wounded soldiers who had been staying by his side had already finished their treatment and most of them had returned home, and now only those like him with serious injuries and those who treated them remained.

“Oh, are you finally escaping the ward today too?”

When a middle-aged soldier who had returned to the ward after undergoing a discharge examination said that, Jimmy smiled and replied.

“Yes, sir.”

“Congratulations. Get plenty of rest when you get home.”

“I’ve been resting a lot, though.”

“You son of a gun? If you act recklessly as if you’re completely healed, you might really go to the other world [die]. Rather, when the wound has just healed is when it’s more important and you need to be careful. Don’t think of it as an old man’s nagging and take good care of your body. If you get sick when you’re young, you’ll suffer until you die.”

When the usually playful middle-aged man spoke so seriously, Jimmy couldn’t help but smile and listen attentively.

“That old man is right. If you get sick when you’re young, you’ll suffer like a dog. You have to take the words of a senior in life to heart.”

A voice from a very young man, like Jimmy, was heard from the entrance of the ward.

Then Jimmy and the middle-aged soldier immediately straightened up and bowed deeply.

“Young Master Zion Klausen.”

“It looks like you’re finally going home.”

“Yes. I was able to return home thanks to Young Master’s grace like the sky. Thank you so much.”

“Knowing is enough.”

Zion chuckled and laughed.

If you only looked at him like that, he was an extremely immature and just a child-like young man, but Jimmy and the middle-aged soldier knew very well that that wasn’t his true self.

That was just his gentle side that he allowed only to those who had fought hard for Klausen.

They still couldn’t forget the image of that young heir who jumped over the flames to save a soldier on the battlefield and ran madly even though the enemy was close at hand.

‘I will be in front of you, and I will also be behind you.’

‘I will not leave anyone behind on that damn battlefield.’

It was a slightly rough and rugged speech, but the soldiers could see that Zion was not just a rumored prodigal heir with empty words.

Which noble in the world would jump into the jaws of death to save a single soldier?

“Let’s go.”

“Yes?”

“Did you forget? I said I’d take you home when you’re all better.”

“O-of course I remember. But I, really···.”

“Then did you think I was joking or just kidding?”

Zion tilted his head and had a very displeased expression.

At that, Jimmy was horrified and shook his head and waved his hands.

It was the words of the heir of the Klausen Margrave, no one else.

“I have to deliver the life I saved safely to your home. I’ll also check on the territory residents. I heard your house isn’t in the city inside this castle, but in a village a bit far away.”

“H-how did you know that···.”

Of course.

You may not know it, but your younger sibling will become the Black Dragon who will turn this country into a sea of fire in the future.

Zion muttered inwardly and let out a sigh of relief.

If he had discovered Jimmy Faker late and he had lost his life as it was, he would have been watching the birth of the Black Dragon who would blow away Hispania coolly in his home ground.

“Instead, this kind of service is the first and last, Jimmy Faker. From now on, I hope you become a guy who saves rather than being saved, because I tried to save you hoping that you could save the comrades who couldn’t return home alive.”

“Yes, yes! I understand!”

Jimmy was answering very loudly, as if a newly enlisted private was responding to the shoulder tap of the corps commander.

Zion told him to follow him quickly and guided him.

Thanks to that, Jimmy was horrified once again, because a magnificent carriage was waiting.

“Y-Young Master! W-what is this!”

“I have to do this much to take a soldier who fought well on the battlefield, or my pride won’t allow it.”

“S-still···.”

“If you don’t get in, I might knock you out and stuff you in the luggage compartment. Get in quickly.”

At Zion’s cold advice, Jimmy stiffened and entered the carriage.

Inside, someone wearing a hood was leaning diagonally, and Jimmy couldn’t even distinguish whether that person was a man or a woman.

“Master, preparations for departure are complete.”

Rishikida, who was in charge of escort, informed him with a polite expression.

Zion, who nodded, opened his mouth to Lia, who was sitting on the roof and wagging her tail, before getting into the carriage.

“Are you really going to be up there?”

“Nyaang. It’s a bit difficult to protect Zion inside. And that, how should I say it… If I’m next to you···.”

Suddenly, Lia’s face turned red.

She slightly crossed her legs, tightly closed them, and muttered as if she was embarrassed.

“That, if I only look at Zion, I, I keep wanting to do it.”

“···Just stay on the roof.”

Her heat cycle was definitely over, and she only used catnip at that time, but she kept wanting Zion.

Since he had to lose some protein appropriately to enjoy life, Zion lightly rejected Lia’s temptation and approached the coachman’s seat this time.

“I’m counting on you this time too.”

“···.”

Zion, who said that to the man sitting in the coachman’s seat, entered the carriage.

Then Rishikida sent a departure signal, and the knights in front struck the horse’s flanks.

“···.”

Today, Kim Yoo-hyun, who was sitting in the coachman’s seat, hummed and tilted his head.

Certainly, he was called the Supreme in the Murim world [a world of martial arts experts], and even though his body condition was not normal now, he was a strong man who could sufficiently face even an upper-class knight.

“Let’s depart, Lord Yoo-hyun.”

“···I understand.”

Somehow, he was becoming a daily coachman every time he rode in a carriage.

―――――――Author’s Note―――――――

The coachman is too strong ver.