Reader’S Regeneration Life [EN]: Chapter 105

105―――――

Somewhere Between a Black Flame Dragon and Blackening

Clink, clink.

Lishikida’s sword was slightly drawn from its scabbard and then re-sheathed, repeatedly. He was clearly agitated, wanting to punish someone, but with Sion so close, he couldn’t act rashly.

“Hmph.

Too noisy for a human.”

You’re a human too.

You chuunibyou [a Japanese term referring to someone, usually young, who exhibits delusional or grandiose behavior, often mimicking characters from anime or manga] patient.

Even if you aren’t later, you’re perfectly human right now.

Sion forcibly suppressed his involuntary sighs.

Meanwhile, Trishia, the self-proclaimed Dark Dragon, glanced at Sion with an even more displeased expression after being called ‘noisy’. It looked like she was asking permission to correct the ‘impudent guy’s’ behavior, but Sion shook his head.

‘She’s got a serious case. It’s not just early-stage chuunibyou; it’s almost terminal.’

She’s really acting and talking like she’s some kind of Black Flame Dragon.

Of course, it’s not like Trishia is suffering from some kind of mental confusion or delusion. Her mental world is just a bit unique; she knows she’s an extremely ordinary human.

‘It’s just that her role-playing is too much.’

In summary, she’s walking a fine line between role-playing and delusion.

“Ha.”

Meanwhile, Kim Yoo-hyun, who had finally gotten down from the driver’s seat and entered the village, was shaking his head as he looked at Trishia, as if to say, ‘This one’s a lost cause.’ He, too, was a young man from South Korea who knew a thing or two about chuunibyou.

Seeing Trishia calling herself a Dark Dragon in front of him!

He was muttering to himself, ‘This is beyond imagination.’

“I, I’m sorry. Young Master.”

And on one side, Jimmy was prostrating himself on the ground, not knowing what to do, apologizing.

“Jimmy Faker.”

“Y-Yes!”

“Didn’t you say your sister was really kind?”

“I, I think I did.”

“Does that look kind to you?”

When Sion pointed at Trishia with his chin, the self-proclaimed Dark Dragon immediately burst into anger and started spouting nonsense, saying that even if he was a noble, he had no manners!

Not even a baron or a viscount, but treating the heir to the Frontier Count of Klauzen with absolutely no fear.

It was clear that Lishikida’s and the knights’ expressions were hardening.

Thanks to that, Jimmy hurriedly bowed his sister’s head deeply!

And opened his mouth.

“She’s usually a really kind child! It’s just that she’s too immersed in this game, so I earnestly beg you, Young Master, to be merciful and let it go just this once! I’m really sorry, I’m sorry!”

“W-What are you doing, you idiot! Let go!”

That idiot is saving your life right now.

I don’t know exactly what kind of life Trishia lived, but looking at her character roughly, after Jimmy, her only ally and shield, died, and after the Frontier Count of Klauzen, her last shield, was burned down and this place became a lawless zone, I could somewhat guess what kind of hardships she went through, and why she had such tremendous hatred and tried to burn everything down.

‘Still, this is a bit much. I don’t want to keep a chuunibyou patient by my side. It’s way too much.’

As Sion thought that and sighed, Lilith, who was standing silently with her hood pulled up, staring at Trishia, had a slightly strange look in her eyes. You could say she had an expression like, ‘Did I see wrong?’

Sion noticed Lilith’s reaction, and he went outside the house as if to clear his head for a bit.

Lilith cautiously followed him.

“Do you have something to say?”

“Sion.”

The voice that called him was completely different from her usual seductive tone. Lilith’s low,沉着的 [composed/calm] voice made people feel instinctively nervous.

Sion put away his playfulness at the woman’s reaction and nodded slightly, as if to say he was listening.

“I have something to ask you. Please answer honestly. It’s an important matter. Could it be that the reason you came to this village was because of that human man’s sister?”

“···.”

At that moment, Sion had a feeling that depending on what answer he gave, it wouldn’t just end with the woman’s jealousy. You could say it was like a situation where the ending would go to extremes depending on the choice.

‘If I’m honest, I should naturally answer yes, but…’ Sometimes a lie is much more useful than the truth, especially when you can clearly see what kind of aftermath will come if you tell the truth, like now.

‘Lilith was carefully observing Trishia. That means there’s something I didn’t notice, something that wasn’t described in the novel. But it’s quite absurd for an ordinary person like me to notice that. If I honestly say it, there’s a very high probability that I’ll be suspected even more.’

Come to think of it, Sion Klauzen has been too honest lately. A villain, above all else, should overcome all difficulties with lies and lies, pass the buck to others, and not bear any risks himself.

After coming to a conclusion, Sion immediately took action. He sighed and opened his mouth in a subdued voice, as if he was in pain.

“Lilith.”

“Yes?”

“I’ve been neglecting you lately, and I’ve been thinking a lot about how sorry I am to you for even bringing in Lia. I think I deserve to be looked at like that.”

“O-Oh?”

“But this time, it’s really not that. It wasn’t a woman-related issue; it was to keep my promise. I thought it was the duty of the heir to Klauzen to safely escort the life I saved to her home.”

So you’re accusing an innocent person!

Of course, Sion doesn’t even think that Lilith is suspecting this. Clearly, there’s something really serious and important that’s making her ask why he came here.

But originally, what shatters seriousness is not more seriousness, but unexpected triviality. Why is it that when parents scold you so much on a rainy day that dust flies, if laughter bursts out at some strange part, both the person being scolded and the person scolding end up letting go?

“W-What are you talking about! You, you idiot! When did I ever get jealous? No matter how many women you keep by your side, I’m the first anyway! And I know I’m the best!”

“Still, Lilith is suspecting me like this…”

“No! That’s not the reason! You idiot!”

The serious atmosphere that Lilith had managed to create was all messed up. At the same time, it was perfectly concealed that this side’s answer was a lie, so there was no reason to be suspected anymore.

“Haa. Seriously, this guy…”

As Lilith muttered that and glanced at Sion, she muttered, ‘It seems like he really doesn’t know.’ Sion clenched his fist, shouting ‘Yes!’ in his heart.

As I have repeatedly emphasized, lying is not a bad thing. A lie that is obviously obvious to anyone, a lie that is immediately caught without sincerity, is a bad thing.

“That’s not it. Did you think I would think you came to a place like this for such a stupid reason?”

“I naturally thought it was because Lilith was talking about her sister, so that was the reason.”

“What are you saying? That’s not why. The reason I talked about that human woman is…”

Lilith glanced around, wary that someone else might be listening, and then whispered, moving closer to Sion.

“That strange human, I think she’s a ‘Stigmata’ holder.”

Stigmata?

Sion tilted his head at the development he had never heard of. No matter how much he racked his brain, there was no such word explained in the novel. It was certain that there wasn’t even anything similar, no matter how much he thought about it.

“Stigmata? What is that…”

“Look at Lia. She’s a princess of the Myo Eun tribe, but there’s something even more unique about her, right?”

“…The one chosen by lightning.”

“Yes. One of the proofs that the arrogant Celestial Race speaks of, that ‘God’ existed. Then, would those proofs only exist in beastmen? Of course, they would exist in other races as well, including humans, right?”

At those words, Sion could understand what Lilith wanted to say. At the same time, now that he heard the word Stigmata, he could finally get a sense of why Trishia Faker, of all people, became a member of the Seven Wings, as a reader.

‘Damn it! Author! Were you planning this kind of setting? You put in the Stigmata and that holder later becomes one of the Seven Wings? Damn it, you should have revealed this setting even in the middle of the novel! Until the second half, you didn’t even explain the background of the Seven Wings and just kept emphasizing, ‘Wow! They’re so strong! They can even fight Kim Yoo-hyun!’ What the hell!’

Trishia Faker, of all people, has something that even Lilith is surprised by, the ‘Stigmata’, firmly in place.

At this point, even someone with zero awareness, any idiot, would be able to sense it.

The enemies who are 100 percent, no, 1000 percent responsible for the chaos in the second half of the novel, the Seven Wings.

The fact that their early appearance background is the presence or absence of that Stigmata.

‘Even the name, Stigmata. It’s ominous from the start!’

Even while shouting that in his heart, Sion tried to maintain his composure. If he got excited here, his efforts to lie would be in vain.

“What is Stigmata? I’m hearing it for the first time.”

“Of course you’re hearing it for the first time. It’s good for humans to hear it for the first time. Because if that appears in humans, it means that the Celestial Race’s return is near.”

“…What happens to Stigmata holders when the Celestial Race returns?”

“I don’t know exactly either, because the Celestial Race has never really returned. Even if Stigmata holders appear, if the Celestial Race doesn’t completely return, it just ends up being a hideous scar.”

“But it seems like you know something.”

At Sion’s continued questions, Lilith let out a sigh and opened her mouth.

“According to the old ancient texts of the Demon Race, the moment those Celestial Race guys really appear on the continent, all Stigmata holders open their eyes and become trumpeters. Remember the ‘Seven Trumpets’?”

The Seven Trumpets. It was the name of the insane Celestial Race’s world purification protocol.

“It seems like they’re the vanguard who blow those trumpets. In summary, they become the beings who take the lead in the world’s purification work that the Celestial Race and fairies so desire. The Celestial Race called those Stigmata holders the Seven Wings.”

“…”

“Of course, I can’t be sure of everything either. In any case, the trumpets have never really sounded, and the true Seven Wings that the Celestial Race is waiting for have never appeared. Don’t take it too seriously.”

No, I can be sure. Even if I don’t know anything else, the fact that Stigmata holders, including Trishia, will blow the trumpets announcing destruction after the Celestial Race finally returns to this land, and burn everything equally.

Sion had already seen almost all of that part clearly in the novel, and he remembered it clearly.

“How did Lilith notice the Stigmata?”

“Even if other races don’t, our Demon Race is sensitive to the smell and energy of the Celestial Race. Those pigeon bastards have a disgusting and nauseating smell.”

“…”

“In addition, the Stigmata is just a simple sign until the Celestial Race returns. To others, it’s just an ordinary human, but later they become beings who can stand against any strong person.”

The reason why Lishikida and the knights didn’t think of Trishia as a strong person even after seeing her was revealed. She has the Stigmata, but until the Celestial Race returns, it’s just an extremely ordinary sign. In the end, no one can even know who the Seven Wings are until things break out.

‘…Should I get rid of her? I think I can kill her right away if I order Lishikida.’

Sion hesitated for a moment, but immediately changed his mind.

What if I killed Trishia and the Stigmata didn’t disappear, but instead took over Trishia’s body as it was?

It was a very dramatic development, but it couldn’t be said that there was no possibility at all.

In addition, even if that wasn’t the case, the Stigmata could appear in someone else.

‘If the Stigmata moves to the wrong person, I won’t be able to observe them as closely as I can now. If things go wrong, I could become a Sunchung [a Korean term referring to someone who is foolish or makes a bad decision] who releases a captured ADC [Attack Damage Carry, a role in multiplayer online battle arena games].’

Think. Think, think.

How can I lead this situation in a more beneficial direction? Which direction is the path that benefits me?

‘The Seven Wings appeared after the appearance of the Celestial Race. All of them were ranting about destroying the world according to the will of the Celestial Race. Especially Trishia, the Fourth Wing, was the worst. She said she would cleanly burn down this damn country that killed her brother and gave her a miserable life….’

…Wait a minute.

Something flashed through Sion’s mind like lightning.

Stigmata holders exert their true power after the Celestial Race appears.

But thinking about it this way, they still have the memories of when they were human, and even after awakening and becoming the true Seven Wings of the Celestial Race, they think like humans and act like humans.

Sion paid attention to the fact that they were trying to get rid of everything they hated and loathed.

‘If I do this right…. This could be a god-tier play?’

Use barbarians to control barbarians, and fight fire with fire.

Just use the Black Flame Dragon who hasn’t blackened to catch the pigeons [another term for the Celestial Race].