Regressor Of The Fallen Family [EN]: Chapter 201

“I told you to see and enjoy the Empire, but I heard you have been staying in your room. That’s why I called you here myself. So, what do you think?”

Logan thought, ‘It would be easier if they just let me leave.’ But he couldn’t say what he really felt out loud.

“Thank you for your kindness, Your Majesty,” Logan said.

“Yes,” the Emperor replied. “Seeing the world outside can change how you think.”

“What can a bird in a cage see or feel, even if it looks outside? It’s still trapped.”

Logan’s sharp words made the people behind the Emperor stare at him. But the Emperor just chuckled softly.

“Think of it this way,” the Emperor said. “Isn’t your kingdom like a cage that traps you? If you are a bird that wants to fly high in the sky, you need to come to a bigger world.”

The Emperor looked at Logan with a friendly smile.

“Why do you want me so much?” Logan asked. “You have many talented people working for you, people much better than me.”

“Maybe now,” the Emperor said. “Even Leonard here, who is standing behind me, is much different from young Jerome. Leonard is stronger than you are now.”

When the Emperor said this, a knight behind him, a man with graying hair, quietly lowered his head.

Logan felt something was not quite right in the Emperor’s words.

“But if we talk about the future, you are the best. Everyone agrees. Even Tris, who people say is the greatest swordsman in the land, was never as good as you are now. You are the most talented person I have ever met.”

Logan understood why he felt uneasy when the Emperor praised him like this.

When Logan said ‘people better than me,’ he didn’t just mean fighting skills. He meant talent in everything. But the Emperor only talked about one thing: fighting ability.

‘Amazing fighting power. The Emperor thinks fighting ability is the most important talent.’

Now Logan believed the Emperor really wanted him just because of his own skills.

‘So, he doesn’t care about the weapons from the civil war in my kingdom?’ Logan thought. Thinking this made him feel a little sad, but a small smile appeared on his face.

It seemed like Logan saw a small weakness in the Emperor, who seemed so powerful and intimidating. Even if it was just for a moment, the worry that had been making him so nervous felt a little lighter.

“The strongest fighter of the future is standing right here in front of me. How could I not want you?”

Logan knew he needed to get rid of the greedy look he saw in the Emperor’s eyes.

“No one knows the future, right?” Logan said. “Just yesterday, Sir Jerome seemed like he could become anything.”

“You really respect people who become strong by themselves. Haha, I like you even more now! If you think like that, you will never become lazy.”

The Emperor wanted him more than Logan realized. The Emperor was very stubborn.

“The Emperor really wants him…” someone whispered. “What is he…?” another person muttered. “I wish that was me…” someone else sighed. Everyone was listening to them. Logan spoke clearly and strongly again, so everyone could hear what he said.

“Your Majesty,” Logan said. “Like I said before, I am loyal to Grandia. I cannot leave my country. Please understand that I want to protect my home.”

“I’m not asking you to leave your country,” the Emperor said. “I’m asking you to join me.”

*This is crazy!* Logan thought, shocked.

“Because I rule the world, working for me will also help your kingdom, right?” The Emperor said something very arrogant. He was talking as if Grandia, which had never been beaten by the Empire in war, was already under his control.

*Where did you learn to twist words like that!* Logan thought, angrily. He felt a rush of anger, but showing it would be dangerous. So, Logan calmed down and answered calmly again.

“I can barely take care of my own family,” Logan said. “I’m sorry, but I can’t accept your kind offer.”

*Taking care of my family is hard.* That was partly true. “Don’t put yourself down,” the Emperor said. “To me, you are worth more than the whole Kingdom of Grandia. I’m not lying. If you promise to serve me, I will give you more power than the King of Grandia.”

The Emperor’s praise was even bigger than Logan expected. The nobles watching them were holding their breath, and now their mouths dropped open in surprise. *He said I’m better than a whole kingdom!* Who could say something like that and make it sound so real?

Feeling the Emperor’s great generosity again, Logan couldn’t speak for a moment. He looked up and met the Emperor’s dark eyes again. They showed that the Emperor was determined to get what he wanted.

This was a man who had never given in before, and he didn’t need to. Could a man who wanted talent so much ever stop trying to conquer?

‘Telling him to stop conquering in exchange for me joining him won’t work. I’d be lucky if he didn’t ask me how I knew that.’ Looking into the Emperor’s eyes, Logan let go of any last feelings of doubt in his heart. He was sure of his decision now.

He let go of the feeling that maybe he was choosing a hard path just because of old anger from his past. ‘If I join him, he will make me lead the attack against my own kingdom.’

Like he thought before, that was probably how the Emperor would keep his word – by giving Logan land and power as big as his kingdom, if Logan helped him conquer it. Logan made his decision firm. He looked at the Emperor again and spoke in a calm voice.

“I’m sorry, but my kingdom and my family are the most important things to me. I hope you can understand my simple feelings and take back your offer.”

People around them gasped quietly. The Emperor chuckled. “Alright,” he said. “Think about it some more. When you see how amazing the Empire is, you will change your mind.”

The Emperor was just as stubborn. “I will show you, young man from Grandia, how big and powerful the world can be. Join me.”

The Emperor tried even harder to convince Logan. *Drip.* The Emperor poured wine into a glass. “This wine cleanses your spirit and sharpens your mind. The Imperial Family only makes about 100 bottles each year. It’s the best wine we have. It’s like medicine for knights.”

Logan thought, *How can I say no to wine poured by the Emperor himself?* The knights watching them looked jealous, which made Logan uncomfortable. He had to agree for now. “…Thank you, I will take it,” Logan said.

A faint magical energy came from the bottle. Only people with special senses could feel it. The bottle itself was beautiful, decorated with a dragon made of gold.

‘This drink bottle is magic…?’ Logan smiled to himself. It was so over-the-top! He quickly drank the liquor in one go.

Logan didn’t usually like strong drinks. He planned to watch the Emperor without showing any feeling. But then, the smell of the drink surprised him – it was strong and wonderful. The taste was sweet, and when he swallowed, his eyes opened wide. A feeling of happiness spread through his whole body.

The knights were right. This drink really was like a magic potion! Logan felt much better already.

“Haha! Now, try this.” The Emperor pointed to a dish. “It’s a very special food from the palace kitchen. It’s reindeer meat, from the wild reindeer of the north. They cook it in a special way. I want to see what you think!”

The meat was cut into small pieces and covered in a brown sauce. It smelled wonderful, not at all like the strong, wild smell you expect from animal meat. Logan was interested.

Since it was food for the Emperor, Logan wasn’t surprised that even the plate seemed magical. But something else worried him more. He could even smell magic coming from the sauce and the meat itself.

The Emperor didn’t say it, but Logan understood. ‘Are there wizards who are just cooks?’ he thought. ‘What a shame to use magic for cooking!’ Logan sighed quietly. But he couldn’t deny it – the food was so good it made his eyes widen with pleasure.

The Emperor chuckled, seeing Logan’s surprised face. “When I say you should see more of the world, I don’t just mean big, important things. Look down there.”

Logan looked where the Emperor pointed. Below them, at the main tables of the party, were many nobles of the Empire. They were all looking up at Logan and the Emperor. Some of these nobles were even more powerful than the King of Grandia! Most of them looked at Logan with clear envy in their eyes. They wished they were sitting with the Emperor, not him.

“Think about it,” the Emperor said, his voice smooth. “Imagine this kind of life, every day. It could all be yours. It’s your decision.”

Sitting with the Emperor, eating amazing food, drinking special drinks, and being looked up to by powerful nobles. That’s what the Emperor was offering. It was tempting, Logan had to admit. But it also made him more careful. Something felt wrong.

Even if he forgot about all the bad things from his past and what he had to do now… ‘Live his life just to please the Emperor? Someone like me?’ Logan smiled, but it wasn’t a happy smile.

He was the kind of person who got angry at his younger brother because he wasn’t good enough himself. He was like a crazy man who fought for twenty years because he lost his family and couldn’t make things right. And now, he was a fool, getting ready to fight the Empire with his family, who were barely still alive.

Anyone looking at him would see he was not someone who could ever just settle down and be peaceful. And the Emperor’s offer was like a beautiful cage, but still a cage. Even if he forgot everything bad that had happened and everything he had to do.

Once he realized this, Logan felt calmer inside. Maybe the Emperor saw the change in Logan’s eyes, because his own eyes became a little harder. Just then, an old voice spoke from below their table.

“Your Majesty,” the voice said. “May I speak?” Logan turned and saw an old man standing there. He had a kind face and a long, white beard that reached his chest. His hair was also white and thick.

“Hmm? Duke Travis,” the Emperor said. “What is it?” “Your Majesty,” Duke Travis said, “I heard something interesting about the Kingdom of Grandia. I think you might want to know about it. So, I wanted to tell you.”

“Grandia?” the Emperor repeated, thinking. “Hmm? Yes, go on.” The Emperor quickly glanced at Logan, then looked back at the Duke. The old Duke looked at Logan too, his eyes shining with a strange meaning.

“We have heard stories about Sir Logan McLain, the hero who stopped the war in Grandia, even here in the Emperor’s city. And there’s a strange story about him.”

“A strange story?”

“Yes,” said the Duke. “The story is that Sir Logan stopped the war by making new kinds of weapons, weapons no one had ever seen before.”

“……Weapons?”

The Emperor’s eyebrows went down a little. He didn’t look happy. The Duke quickly went on, “I think these weapons are amazing! They could really help the Empire.”

“And?”

“Well…” the Duke hesitated. “I was wondering… could we get those weapons for the Empire? By talking to Sir Logan?”

The Emperor’s eyes became like ice. Drops of cold sweat appeared on the Duke’s old face. “You are making me lose my hunger,” the Emperor said, his voice low and dangerous.

The Duke’s face went white when he heard the Emperor. The Emperor slammed his drinking glass on the table with a loud bang. “How dare you talk about business in front of my guest!” he roared.

“P-Please forgive me, Your Majesty!” the Duke stammered. “I was too eager to help…” “Tsk,” the Emperor made a short, sharp sound with his tongue. “I know you want to do good for the Empire. So, I will forget you were rude this time. Leave now. Don’t let me see you again today.” The Emperor didn’t let the Duke say anything else.

Logan was relieved when the Duke, who had made the Emperor so angry, was gone. But seeing how easily the Emperor made even a Duke bow down and beg made Logan feel uneasy again. The Emperor’s power was heavy and 压迫ing.

“Sorry you had to hear that,” the Emperor said to Logan, smiling again. “Logan McLain, just relax and enjoy yourself. Enjoy everything we have here. And later, tell me what you think.”

“Your Majesty,” Logan said, “I can already see how amazing the Empire is, even in this short time. But… that doesn’t mean I will join the Empire.”

“Haha!” The Emperor laughed. “No need to hurry. The festival is still going on. You have time to enjoy the Empire, like I said. We can talk again later.” The Emperor smiled, not letting Logan finish what he was saying.

“Just remember this,” the Emperor said, his voice serious now. “No matter how talented you are, your talent only becomes truly great when it’s tested and improved by others who are just as talented, in a bigger place.”

The Emperor picked up another glass. This one seemed to glow with its own light. He poured more of the drink into a very large, round glass, like a bowl. “Think about it like this,” he said, holding up the big glass. “A bigger glass can hold more. Is it really smart to waste your talent in a small country? You need to think about what your talent is really worth. When you understand that, you’ll know what to do.”

Listening to those words, Logan finally understood the difference between him and the Emperor. The Emperor only thought about himself and his own power. Logan saw the Emperor’s limits now, which had been hidden before by his kindness and strong personality. The Emperor was powerful, but also narrow-minded.

Logan didn’t know if this understanding would help him later, but right now, it made him feel stronger. The Emperor didn’t seem so scary anymore.

“Thank you for your interest, Your Majesty,” Logan said. He thought, ‘The Emperor is so proud. He probably won’t try to stop me if I decide to leave after the festival.’ But still, Logan felt a little worried. He wasn’t completely sure.