Reader’S Regeneration Life [EN]: Chapter 122

122―――――

Return Stronger…

“After detecting suspicious movements by the Northern Barbarians, we dispatched a royal envoy, unofficially, of course.

But they sent the envoy back without even meeting them.”

“…Sounds like war is imminent.”

“We’re lucky they didn’t kill the unofficial envoy.

They’re the kind who would kill even official envoys and send their heads back.”

Time was running out.

Before the conflict between Kalta and Aigiore escalated into a deadly feud, he needed to go and dissuade the two sisters, ensuring their forces remained intact.

‘The Northern Barbarians live in harsh lands, so they’re relatively distant from the peace-advocating Celestial race followers.

They’re rough, but not fanatics.’

Thinking that, Sion glanced sideways.

After moving to the conference room, Edgar IV had been silently listening to Sion and Princess Vanessa’s conversation.

It seemed he intended to fully entrust and support Vanessa in this Northern matter.

‘Princess Vanessa was the first to confirm the unusual movements in the North, so he’s giving her a chance to prove herself?

That’s not bad.

Compared to Prince Erader, her only disadvantage is not being the eldest son.’

Since Vanessa hadn’t properly demonstrated her abilities yet, if she achieved significant merit this time, she might be able to compete with Prince Erader for succession.

Moreover, the forces backing her would include Klausen, to which he belonged, along with several noble families with whom she had built rapport at the last royal party.

“The Northern nobles are unable to bear the anxiety and are requesting the dispatch of troops.

However, it’s ambiguous whether to accept their demands as they are.”

“The barbarians can’t tell whether they’re dealing with a conquest army aiming to subjugate them or a support force to fortify the border, and they won’t bother trying to find out.”

“You see right through it.

With only a few barbarians advocating friendship with the kingdom, we’re barely preventing an immediate war. A hasty dispatch of troops would turn even those few into warmongers.”

Sion listened to Princess Vanessa’s words and studied her face.

Despite the unfavorable situation, she didn’t seem particularly nervous or hurried.

He turned his head to check on Edgar IV.

As expected, the King also seemed unfazed, just like Vanessa.

‘…Both of them seem quite relaxed in this situation?’

Sion sensed something was off.

Edgar IV aside, even Vanessa, who still showed some vulnerability, should have appeared at least slightly nervous, yet she displayed remarkable composure.

If so, there were only two possibilities: either the situation itself was fabricated as a poor joke.

However, Helen had also confirmed the Northern Barbarians’ unrest, so it couldn’t possibly be a lie.

Then, only one reason remained.

They already knew how to resolve this situation.

‘Okay, next question.

Why did Princess Vanessa specifically call me?

It’s true that I mentioned the possibility of trouble in the North, but the real reason for summoning me, the heir of Klausen and someone quite distant, to this royal palace…

If she really doesn’t know anything and called me to ask for answers, that would be disappointing for Princess Vanessa.’

Then, Sion suddenly reconsidered Edgar IV’s presence.

Even though there was no need for him to stay, he was currently sitting in this conference room.

As if waiting for someone’s answer.

‘The envoy sent by the royal family was rejected.

Then, was that envoy the decision-maker with the final say, or just a messenger to convey the royal family’s intentions and understand the barbarians’ wishes?’

Once he reached that point, Sion began to see the outline.

The barbarians who knew that rejecting the envoy meant war with the kingdom, yet still sent the envoy back; the royal palace still hesitating to dispatch troops in such a situation; the princess who specifically summoned him, a war hero, to the royal palace; and the king watching that scene.

“Haa.”

Sion deliberately sighed audibly.

In response, the princess flinched and looked at Sion.

“Your Highness.”

“What is it?”

“You didn’t need to call me in this manner.”

“…I don’t know what you mean.”

“Even if you had simply said you wanted to send me north, both I and the Lichten Margrave [a noble title] would have complied without complaint.

Do you doubt the Klausen family’s loyalty to the kingdom?”

He decided to push a little harder.

As expected, Princess Vanessa’s eyes flickered slightly.

“The Northern Barbarians also know that turning away the kingdom’s envoy means war.

There’s only one reason they still did it.

It’s not just about conveying someone’s words or bringing back someone else’s; they want a real figure who can directly confront them and has the authority to decide the future course of events.”

“…”

“In addition, they want someone influential from the kingdom to come, to show externally that their position is somewhat equal to the kingdom’s.”

“Duke Sion.”

“The royal family also wanted someone who could see the situation clearly, someone who wouldn’t cower before those arrogant barbarians and could issue an ultimatum, someone with the strong authority and reputation to request ‘war’ from the kingdom.”

There were many who had achieved more merit than Sion throughout the kingdom.

But humans are creatures of forgetfulness; even victories fade into tarnished glory after just a few years.

Hispannia had chosen peace for the sake of the kingdom’s restoration, and naturally, as time passed, the glory of the old battlefields and those who had achieved victories were gradually forgotten.

Above all, most of those who had achieved great merit were battle-worn veterans.

There was definitely a lack of something to stimulate the young bloods who wanted a new era, a new generation.

‘In the midst of all this, the emergence of a war hero who has just turned twenty. If his lineage were insignificant, it might be different, but his family is said to be the Klausen family, the most steadfast shield protecting the kingdom since ancient times?’

It’s inevitable that both the kingdom’s internal affairs and external affairs would pay attention.

From the Northern Barbarians’ perspective, he was a figure with enough prestige to uphold their pride, and from the royal family’s perspective, he was someone who could be entrusted with the authority to decide the kingdom’s future actions and issue an ultimatum to pressure the barbarians.”

“Your Majesty.”

Sion rose from his seat, knelt on one knee, and ‘formally’ ‘requested’.

“I request that you send me.

I will go north to meet the barbarians and make a conclusion that will determine the future direction of the two forces.”

“…”

Edgar IV didn’t answer.

He wanted this, but having him request it directly was another matter.

What he and Vanessa wanted was a scenario where they subtly hinted, ‘We’re entrusting you with this important mission,’ and sent him north as if appointed by the royal family, with him accepting it.

The reason was simple.

In case his decision caused harm to the kingdom, the royal family would prevent others from shifting all the blame onto Klausen.

Since it was the royal family that entrusted the heir of Klausen with such a crucial mission, and therefore the responsibility also lay somewhat with the royal family, the nobles would no longer tear Sion apart.

“Sion Klausen.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“The fact that you’re making this request directly implies that you’ll take responsibility for whatever happens in the future, or am I mistaken?”

“That is correct.”

It was an answer without a moment’s hesitation.

At that, Edgar IV wore an intrigued expression, while Princess Vanessa looked flustered.

The atmosphere was such that they wouldn’t be lacking even if they immediately headed for war, but there was no need for him to make the request himself.

It would have been enough to secretly come to the capital at the royal family’s request and be dispatched to the north with a mission.

Meanwhile, Edgar IV smiled and said to Sion.

“If you’re requesting it directly, it’s taken as confidence that you can lead the Northern affairs in a direction beneficial to the kingdom, whether it be war or peace, am I wrong?”

“You are not.”

“Since you’ve volunteered for such difficult and challenging work, if you successfully complete it, you may demand compensation from the royal family and me, commensurate with the merit you’ve earned.”

‘Still, this old man is somewhat reasonable.

As expected of a leader of a country,’ Sion thought and smiled.

In any case, this father and daughter had summoned him to the royal palace with the intention of entrusting him with a significant mission.

Of course, they would have given him the option to refuse, but Edgar IV and Princess Vanessa seemed to have called Sion with the belief that he wouldn’t refuse to work for Hispania.

‘If that’s the case, it’s easier to act as I please.’

Going to the north at the royal family’s request and volunteering to go are different in the feeling they give.

It’s perfectly fine to live comfortably in his territory and become a new Margrave.

However, the image of him stepping forward to solve the kingdom’s crisis aligns well with the image of ‘a young noble who cares for Hispania’ that Sion has been steadily building.

‘And from the perspective of the Northern Barbarians, if it’s said that the war hero of Hispania has volunteered to come, the way they treat me will inevitably be different from the royal family’s envoy.’

Sion had been wondering how to meet the Daughter of Winter and Khan in the north anyway.

Joining the royal family’s delegation heading north would feel too much like a supporting role, and thinking about other methods didn’t seem easy given the atmosphere.

In such a situation, the title of ‘spokesperson’ who volunteered directly and held all decision-making power upon arriving in the north was the picture Sion desired most.

“Duke Sion.

I didn’t call you to entrust you with such a dangerous task.

I was just trying to find a suitable candidate…”

“Even as you say that, Your Highness, you ultimately know that I am the best person for the job.

That’s why you called me to the royal palace.”

“…I didn’t want to burden you with danger or pressure.

But you were the only one who came to mind as the most suitable person.

I’m truly sorry.”

At that, Sion smiled and shook his head.

It was the picture he had wanted.

If he had no intention of going north, he would have refused Vanessa’s request for various reasons and holed himself up in his territory from the start.

‘Above all, I need to put Vanessa in debt so I can borrow her strength when settling the affairs in the south later.

And also, add some paint to the slightly lacking mask of a hero.’

Being a war hero who led the war with Nudia to victory and a true noble who liberated slaves was slightly insufficient.

No, it was far from sufficient.

To be able to openly say to the people of the Hispania Kingdom in the future that the Celestials are actually trying to burn us all to ashes, he had to increase his social influence even more.

“Sion Klausen.

I’ll ask you for the first and last time.

Do you really insist on that position?

It’s true that I was going to entrust you with such a mission.

But as Princess Vanessa said, if you refuse, I was thinking of finding other personnel and seeking advice from you.”

“I can confidently say that I am the right person, Your Majesty.”

“It could be dangerous.”

“The Northern Barbarians despise and ridicule those who avoid fighting, but they like those who are confident even in the face of battle.

Shouldn’t I use the title of war hero at times like this?”

In other words, sending someone else might actually get their head cut off.

Edgar IV chuckled, nodded, and said.

“Very well.

Sion Klausen.

I will give you the authority to decide Hispania’s future actions regarding the North.

Be mindful that your every word and thought will soon belong to this country and the royal family.”

Sion bowed to show his intention to do so.

Princess Vanessa was watching with deeply uneasy eyes, but Sion wanted to say that it was all unnecessary worry.

First of all, he had no intention of ruining this country or dying at all.

“Should we dispatch a few more royal guards as escorts?

Would that be acceptable?”

The King is ‘asking’ Sion if personnel arrangements are possible.

From this moment on, the King himself is showing that all authority over heading to the north has been transferred to Sion.

At that, Sion smiled and nodded.

“Then let’s attach a few royal knights.

Sion Klausen.

Could you at least tell us roughly about the personnel who will be heading to the north?”

At that question, Sion listed those he would be taking one by one.

Lilith, who is currently disguised as a mage, Kim Yu-hyun, whom he is taking with the intention of connecting with the Daughter of Winter, Trisha, a ticking time bomb that he must keep by his side and watch, and Rishikida, who will unconditionally follow him.

“Huh?”

Then, Lucia, who had been quietly listening to the story, was embarrassed.

Her name was missing from the list of people heading to the north.

―――――――Author’s Notes―――――――

The aftereffects of 8 consecutive chapters ···.

I must have overdone it ···.

That’s why···.

Rec.

Recommendation···!