Reader’S Regeneration Life [EN]: Chapter 288

288―――――

Forward Steps

“Wow, you goddamn bastards.

What’s with being so strong!”

If someone who didn’t know the context heard this, they’d probably think he looked more like a beggar.

And immediately after, they would have been torn to shreds by the brutal high-ranking demon ‘Bahamut’ and scattered in all directions.

“Shit!

Son of a bitches!”

Looking completely disheveled, Bahamut spat and even gagged.

Pushing his body beyond its limits was obviously straining him, and he couldn’t hold on.

“…That mouth of yours, seriously.

You call me a slut, but the real slut is your mouth, Bahamut.”

“This whore, are you trying to die?

You think you can disrespect me just because I went along with your words?”

“No.”

“Then what is it?

Is it funny that you got pushed back by humans, let alone the Celestials?”

“Don’t talk nonsense.

I got pushed back too.”

At Lilith’s retort, Bahamut grumbled ‘Tch’ and turned his head.

If the other party got angry, he could fight back even harder, but Lilith was blocking that path entirely, making him feel like he was just making a fool of himself by picking a fight.

“Shit…”

“Calm down.

It’s something we already expected, right?

That’s why we attacked the Holy Prussen.”

“I know, I know.

I know it all.

Damn it!

The Celestials, those pigeon bastards, fine.

But what about the humans?

Why are they so strong?

It hasn’t even been a few thousand years since we lived quietly, it’s only been about 200 years?

How have humans become so strong already?”

“There are even stronger humans than that.”

Muttering to herself, Lilith recalled the time when they attacked Holy Prussen.

She persuaded Bahamut to lead the remaining demons under their command southward, breaking through the defense line in one blow and rushing madly to the sanctuary, which could be called the heart of Holy Prussen.

Then, the humans of Holy Prussen, who had seemed to be watching the situation until then, began to step forward in earnest, and their power was so strong that even Bahamut and Lilith were slightly surprised.

‘The humans of Holy Prussen were this strong?

This is really unexpected?’

Living with Zion in Hispania, she had grasped the level of power of the humans there to some extent.

To put it bluntly, if Holy Prussen really put their mind to attacking Nudia and Hispania in the current situation, there was a very high probability that nine out of ten would not be able to withstand it and would collapse.

It’s not that there’s a difference in training level or swordsmanship or anything like that.

It was just something different, so different that it was hard to even express it in other words.

‘What the hell is it?

Something’s unnatural.

It’s too artificial.’

The title of high-ranking demon isn’t just for show.

Although she is the Queen of Succubi, it doesn’t mean she’s weak in battle.

For Lilith to feel that something was wrong meant it was really no ordinary matter.

“Well, still, it was nothing compared to that monster-like man.”

“What are you saying?

Did you just curse at me?”

“If I were going to curse at you, I would do it directly, why would I mutter to myself like this?”

“…Something about that is right, so I can’t even answer.

You rotten bitch.”

Bahamut scratched his head roughly, as if to replace his anger, and spoke to another woman who was sitting quietly next to him, closing her eyes as if she were sleeping.

“Anyway, thanks for helping, Bell.”

“…”

“It would have been nice if you had helped right away instead of always sleeping like that.”

“…Annoying.”

“Seriously?

You were whining about being annoyed even when we were fighting fiercely with the Celestials, so what wind suddenly blew you to help us now?”

Then, a woman with pale skin and dull gray hair slowly raised her hand and pointed at Lilith.

“…”

“What about that bitch?”

“Asked for help.”

“Lilith did?

Did she even go to you in the meantime?”

Bell nodded, indicating affirmation.

Bahamut looked at Lilith as if to ask if it was true, and she shrugged her shoulders and opened her mouth.

“Wouldn’t it be even funnier to try to do something with just the two of us and our demons and monsters?”

“Unexpected.

You used to hate Bell a lot.

Saying she was lazy and procrastinating.”

“I did back then, but when I look back, there’s always a use for everything.”

“Seriously?

Where did you learn such a good lesson?

I want to get some too, hey.”

Bahamut was just joking around like that.

But as soon as she heard those words, Lilith suddenly filled her bloodshot eyes with a fierce aura, snatched Bahamut’s neck like lightning, and began to strangle him.

“Keuhuk!

Keehk!

What, what are you doing…”

“Don’t covet what’s mine.

I might really kill you.”

“I, when did I ever covet… let go, damn it… Keueuk!”

Caught off guard, and on top of that, right after the battle that took place in Holy Prussen, Bahamut couldn’t do anything and was just hitting Lilith’s arm, trying to escape somehow.

“Stop.”

“…”

“You’ll die if you keep doing that.”

Lilith, realizing Bell’s restraint, Bahamut’s reaction, and above all, that the power she had received from Zion was almost gone, took a breath and forcibly suppressed the raging anger and possessiveness.

“Keuheok!

Cough, cough!”

“…Sorry.

It’s funny to apologize, but I’ll say I’m really sorry.

It felt like you were coveting what’s mine.

My hand went out without me even realizing it.”

“Keuhuk, eugh… Seriously, is this crazy bitch out of her mind…!”

Honestly, from Bahamut’s point of view, it was like a bolt out of the blue after he just made a joke.

Lilith, who had been calm even when he provoked her to fight outright, suddenly exploded after he just made a joke, and the atmosphere was as if they were going to have a battle to the death right here.

“Stop it, both of you.”

“Don’t stop me, Bell.

Shit!

That bitch, I’ve been holding back and holding back…”

“Nearby.

The Celestials.

They’re chasing us.”

At Bell’s words, Bahamut and Lilith simultaneously cursed.

In Holy Prussen, they were pushed back by the humans, and the remaining demons were killed by the Celestials who had slipped into the gap, and they themselves eventually retreated after fighting with the top-ranking Celestials.

From the beginning, they were outnumbered, and humans, who they didn’t know when they had become so strong, were also barging in, so even demons couldn’t withstand it.

‘Now I’ve taken off the title of a race with the ambition to cover the world in shadows.’

What would they be, evil or shadows, if they couldn’t even win against humans?

The levels have to match to be called good and evil, and justice and injustice.

But the current demons were in a situation where their foundations were almost collapsing to the point where they would collapse in an instant if the Celestials launched a counterattack as they were.

Weren’t the monsters, who were known to be more terrifying than monsters to humans, being slaughtered by the Knights of Holy Prussen?

The lower demons were nothing more than post-meal exercise for those knights, and the few remaining high-ranking demons were often crushed to a pulp in the hands of the Celestials.

From the beginning, there was no possibility of victory, and it was a plan to fight moderately and retreat, but these three high-ranking demons had not even thought that they would be defeated so miserably.

“We have to go.

Quickly.

If we hesitate…”

“I know.

Those damn pigeon bastards.

They were hiding behind the humans as if they were all dead, and they were building up their strength.

They look so refreshed that it doesn’t seem any different from the last war?

Son of a bitches.”

“Ludo looked very healthy too.”

“That unlucky bastard who plays the leader of the pigeons [referring to Celestials]?

Ah, I’d have no regrets if I could just punch that guy in the mouth once.”

“Dream on.

How many pigeons are attached to that guy’s side.”

Lilith said that and got up from her seat.

If the Celestials chased them to the end of the world, it would be a really big problem, but they also knew that the demons were more advantageous in the mortal realm.

In the previous war, they were tricked by the demons and forced to invade, suffering great damage and retreating, so even if they had won this time, they would not be careless.

‘Zion, I’ve given the Celestials confidence, just like you said?

But I don’t know if that will turn into arrogance or if it will just stop there and go back to the usual attitude of watching the situation.’

Originally, she would have split up while retreating and returned to Zion.

But she had to think about the pursuers who might be there, and above all, they were the guys who bickered with each other but eventually launched an attack on Holy Prussen because it was a colleague’s request, so it was quite a pity to abandon them.

Lilith thought that she should move with them until they retreated to a safe place and watch over her colleagues even a little bit.

‘Doing this will be a pretty good reason to use them again later!’

…As expected, husband and wife were of one mind, and even their thoughts were similar.

―

“…”

Helen, who had woken up a while ago, sat blankly for a full 30 minutes, looking around and looking at the scenery outside the window, realizing once again that this was not the Hynes Merchant Guild building in the royal capital, but the territory of Count Klausen in the east of the kingdom.

What on earth was she thinking when she ran all the way here?

Helen let out a hollow laugh at her own absurd and embarrassing behavior.

Even she, the person who caused the incident, was so embarrassed, so how embarrassed would Zion or the people of Count Klausen’s territory be?

‘I don’t even remember what I talked about with Zion.’

Was it because she wasn’t in good condition, or was it because she was so relieved to see Zion alive with her own two eyes that she relaxed?

No matter how hard Helen tried to think, she couldn’t remember exactly what was said yesterday.

“You idiot…”

Helen, who was holding her face in both hands, first checked her physical condition.

Fortunately, she had slept well for almost a day, so her body was lighter than ever.

In particular, she still felt the warmth in her hand, which someone had been holding for quite a long time.

Knock knock―.

“Excuse me, Helen, Leader of the Merchant Guild.”

The one who came in with those words was none other than Rishikda.

She was standing in front of the door with maids by her side.

“I hope you remember that you have an appointment with the master today?”

“Yes?

A, an appointment?”

“Yesterday, the master said that there was a place he would go with the Merchant Guild Leader.”

“Ah.

Th, that’s…”

“He said that your physical condition was not good, so your memory might be hazy.

So, the master ordered me to help Helen, Leader of the Merchant Guild, prepare.

If you don’t mind, the people here will help you prepare to go out.

Would that be okay?”

At Rishikda’s polite question, Helen nodded.

Then, Rishikda expressed her gratitude and signaled to the maids that they could enter, and they began to help Helen get ready.

“Ah, before that…”

“…?”

“Don’t be surprised.

I have a lot of ugly scars on my body.”

Before taking a shower, Helen said that to the maids.

They probably thought, ‘What kind of scars could a fairy woman have?’, but after a while, they had a hard time hiding their surprise at the scars engraved all over Helen’s body.

‘Because it was a past that I must not forget.’

She could have erased the scars with magic.

But Helen didn’t do that, and left the scars as if they were a vow for her revenge, and whenever her heart weakened, she looked back at the scars and rekindled her desire for revenge.

And now, the revenge was all over, and the scars had lost their value.

‘Now I really don’t know what to do with you guys.’

Helen finished showering with a self-deprecating smile and quickly finished preparing to go out with the help of the maids.

After that, she wore a dress that the maids seemed to have chosen very carefully, and the shape of the dress was like she was going to a party, so Helen looked quite embarrassed.

She wondered where she was going, so she followed Rishikda’s guidance and went down to the first floor, where Zion was waiting for her.

“Zion, yesterday…”

“Let’s go.”

“Yes, yes?”

“Let’s go.

There’s a place to go.”

With those words, Zion took Helen’s hand and got into the carriage that was waiting in advance.

He must have judged that it would be a problem if it was seen by others, but although it was a small number of people, they were all the best people that Kim Yu-hyun had filtered out.

“…”

After getting into the carriage, Helen looked at her hand like that for a long time.

She thought that a woman like herself, who had already been defiled, should not dare to approach him carelessly.

Because there were people around him who were much more wonderful and beautiful than herself, and above all, those who had given him the purity of a woman.

Because they were completely different from herself, who had been dragged into slavery and miserably abused by other men.

She didn’t want to think about sneaking into the space between those women who were already by Zion’s side.

At least, she thought she was thinking that way.

But with this incident, Helen realized that she couldn’t even control that.

When she heard that Zion was dead, she went crazy and refused any rational judgment and ran madly to Klausen.

‘No, please.

Helen, don’t do that.

This is enough.

I and that person are already quite good friends, close friends.

Don’t be greedy here.

Don’t let go of what you barely held in your arms by pulling it further inside with unnecessary greed.

Please, please.

Give up here.

You must not approach any further.’

Thinking that way, she suddenly felt her chest tighten and her breath quicken.

It would have been better if she hadn’t had any expectations or fantasies.

It was so sad that a being with reason had such a hard time giving up once they had expected something like this.

She wanted to see the flower she had once held in her hand again, put it to her nose, and hold it in her arms.

Because the life she had lived so far was so hard and tiring.

Because the flower called herself had been living in the cold wind all winter and had barely welcomed spring.

It was so hard to shake off that comfort, that warmth.

“We have arrived, Zion Klausen.”

At the words of the escort knight, Zion opened the door and got off first to escort Helen.

It would have been strange for the people around them to see a man who was the successor of Klausen and a hero of the kingdom treating a mere merchant guild leader like that, but they were just guarding the surroundings without changing their expressions.

“Zion.

What on earth is this place…”

Even if Helen asked that question, Zion didn’t answer.

In the end, she had to figure out the answer on her own, so she looked around.

This place, which seemed to be somewhat far from Klausen’s castle, was near the border of a very peaceful and quiet forest.

Then Helen let out a sigh, ‘Ah,’ and tried to stop walking.

“What’s wrong, Helen.”

“Zion.

Just a moment, just a moment.

I, I shouldn’t go into the forest.

I’m…”

“Did the fairies tell you that?

That you are a disgrace to the race whose body has been defiled, so you should not go anywhere, not even any forest?”

“H, how did you know…?”

“They’re your kin who abandoned you.

That’s why you said you would abandon your kin too.

So why are you hesitating?”

With those words, Zion took Helen into the forest again.

Helen didn’t know what to do, but in the end, she was led by his hand into the forest, which she had never thought of entering since she was kidnapped by slave traders, suffered all kinds of hardships, barely escaped, and was chased away by her own kin when she returned to her hometown.

“Zion.”

“The surroundings?”

“Confirmed.

There’s nothing dangerous.”

“Thank you.

I’ll be sure to repay this favor later.”

“It’s already enough with the story I shared with Eos yesterday.

It’s all thanks to you.”

Kim Yu-hyun, who had turned around this forest area at Zion’s request-like command, said that and walked towards the carriage through the path Zion had entered.

After that, Zion held Helen’s hand and went into the forest.

Finally, when he reached a certain point, he pulled Helen’s hand and gently pushed her forward.

“…”

Helen looked around for a moment.

Truly healthy trees and beautifully blooming flowers.

And the cool breeze and warm sunlight that flowed through them.

Everything was the same as what she had faced when she was a young girl in the past.

“You can stop hurting now.”

“…”

“No one will say anything to you.

Neither I, nor Lia, nor Lucia.

And all my other people.

What you went through in the past, what you suffered, and what you were trying to do because of that.”

“…”

Helen, who had been listening to those words for a while and looking around with a dazed look.

In the end, she sat down and shed tears again, which she had vowed never to shed again in her life.

She was just trying to distance herself.

That man keeps telling her to come closer for Helen herself.

What on earth should I do?

What kind of past do I have?

I’m not a woman fit for someone like you, nor am I comparable to other women.

Why do you keep…?

―One white ice flower blooms―Reaches out its face to the welcoming breeze―

:

Along with the flowing breeze, the lute’s performance flows.

―Hidden in the cold wind―Melting in a ray of sunshine―

:

Along with the warm sunlight, a soft voice was heard.

―Only good memories―Only longing hearts―

:

―Only as much as forgotten―Only as much as okay―

The woman who had been struggling in the past, stained with all kinds of wounds and pain.

Finally, in this nostalgic place that had returned, she enjoyed what she had wanted so much.

―At the end of the trembling that waited with tears―I will bloom again―――――――Afterword―――――――

Wildflower―Park Hyo Shin (excluding high notes, only the 1st verse part!

Important!)

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