Reader’S Regeneration Life [EN]: Chapter 201

201

Because it’s raining.

“Young Lord Zion?”

Both Bremen and Heman momentarily wondered if they were seeing things.

Zion Klausen suddenly stood up and moved forward without a second’s hesitation.

If it were just a light rain, they might have tried to persuade Zion Klausen themselves.

They could have said it was the perfect image to show the kingdom’s citizens.

But there’s a limit to how much you can do for show.

You need at least a bit of atmosphere, but with the downpour making it hard to see people properly, they couldn’t even open their mouths to Zion.

“Father, it seems the memorial service will be disrupted…”

“Shhh.

If we’re the first to panic, the other nobles and the kingdom’s citizens will naturally follow suit.”

Despite saying that, Count Bremen looked worried about what to do.

Just last night, there wasn’t a cloud in the sky, but suddenly, from dawn, instead of the sun rising, the clouds churned, and then a torrential downpour began.

It wasn’t just a drizzle; it was like pouring water from a tub.

In this situation, anyone standing in the rain to show a good image would be called ‘foolish.’

‘To the point where even the families of the fallen soldiers seem worried that others might be suffering unnecessarily.’

Count Bremen thought it wasn’t right and was about to tell Zion to wait for the downpour to subside when suddenly,

“Young Lord Zion Klausen?”

The nobles on the opposite side started to speak in alarm.

Bremen and Heman turned their heads, and what they saw was:

“Young Lord Zion Klausen?

It’s still raining heavily.

If you go out now…”

Zion Klausen had suddenly left his seat and was heading towards the plaza in the pouring rain.

It wasn’t a drizzle; it was a torrential downpour, and there was no reason to make such a choice when you couldn’t see anything just a few steps ahead.

So, Bremen and Heman tried to stop Zion almost simultaneously.

“I’m not sugar or salt.”

Zion suddenly mentioned sugar and salt out of the blue.

Bremen, Heman, and all the surrounding nobles blinked, looking at him as if asking what he meant. Zion gave a light smile and turned around.

Swishhhhh!―.

Stepping into the torrential rain, Zion slowly spoke words that resonated with the nobles.

“Just because it’s raining, just because I get a little wet, doesn’t mean I’ll melt away.”

The moment they heard those words, Bremen and Heman felt as if lightning struck their heads!

The shock was so great that the two men, who should have spoken, couldn’t and tried to grab Zion.

But just as they were about to rise from their seats, Zion turned and strode into the downpour.

Thud, thud, thud!

In an instant, Zion’s hair and clothes were soaked, as if he had jumped into a river.

It was a pitiful sight, more foolish than tragic.

“Ah!”

In the midst of all this, Zion Klausen stopped somewhere for a moment and reached out his hand.

Then, the child of a boatswain who had died trying to save his men in the recent battle with the pirates handed him the flower he was holding.

“…”

Zion accepted it and walked resolutely to the memorial, which was not far away but hard to see due to the heavy rain.

Then, to keep it from getting too wet, he took out the flower he had kept inside his coat and carefully placed it in front of the memorial.

Swishhhhh!

The rain still showed no sign of stopping, and Zion stood there and bowed his head.

He slowly prayed for the souls of those who had fallen fighting against the kingdom’s enemies.

As if this rain was no problem for him.

As if the things he was doing now were not to show off to anyone, but simply to offer a silent requiem to those who had fallen to protect this country honorably.

‘Ha…

Whatever it is, he’s truly a great man.’

Count Bremen thought so and couldn’t help but exclaim in admiration.

If this was all a sophisticated act, a calculated move, it would be terrifying.

Usually, people would act to a certain extent and try to gain some advantage, but Zion Klausen went forward in a downpour that even the bereaved families were worried about and stood before the memorial.

As if he didn’t care whether others could clearly see him in the heavy rain.

‘If someone else, even Prince Erader, had stepped forward like that, there would have been a reaction that they were overdoing it.

The weather is just too bad.’

Even that reaction of overdoing it would be a good way to put it; if viewed from a slightly twisted perspective, they could be called foolish for stubbornly pushing ahead with the schedule without postponing it.

‘…But.’

But Zion Klausen understood his strengths precisely.

He wasn’t just stubbornly pushing ahead with the schedule; he was someone who could give the impression that he didn’t want to delay seeing off his comrades who had fought alongside him just because of a little rain, and he was in a position to do so.

‘A true noble and a true commander who rushed to the battlefield as soon as he came of age, even standing on the front lines instead of the rear, and even carrying the wounded back on his back.’

People tend to believe more in what they see with their own eyes.

Just as the people of the South were skeptical about Zion’s heroic tales from the East and North,

The pirates were quickly destroyed thanks to the measures he took.

By now, no one in the South would deny that Zion Klausen was not just a hollow, rumored noble.

And if such a hero bowed his head before the memorial with a mournful expression, honoring their spirits, people would admire, grieve, and eventually cheer, even if he looked like a drowned rat.

Yes, that is what a noble should look like.

That is what a true hero looks like, the kingdom’s rising star, and the starting point of the new path they had so desired.

Isn’t that the true future for the kingdom?

‘This is the first step, and the second.

It’s a long shot, but…’

If all of this was not an act but a decision and action taken as a true noble of this country,

And as a hero who loves the kingdom’s citizens,

Bremen momentarily had the somewhat absurd thought of how wonderful it would be if that man were a prince.

It was that impressive and that memorable.

The sorrow of a young hero standing alone in the plaza in the pouring rain, bowing his head before the memorial, and sincerely praying for the souls of the fallen.

If there were bards here, they would have been crying ‘Oooooh!’ and writing poems for Zion Klausen, singing songs, and strumming their lutes.

Thump!

Heman suddenly stood up from his seat.

And without a moment’s hesitation, he stepped into the downpour.

Bremen should have been worried about his only heir’s health, but he couldn’t stop his son.

He hadn’t seen such a determined expression on his son’s face lately.

Following Zion, the heir of the Isik County also became soaked and quite miserable, but no one in the room clicked their tongues or laughed.

Amidst the sound of the rain, Heman finally stood next to Zion.

“Young Lord Zion Klausen.”

“…Young Lord Heman?”

“From now on, I will address you with honorifics.”

If the vassals of the Isik County heard Heman’s words, they would have jumped up and down, saying it was outrageous.

It was true that the Klausen March held more rights than other count families because they were in charge of defending the border, and their power was comparable to that of the three marquis families.

However, the Isik County was also one of Hispania’s leading noble families, accumulating wealth by managing trade in the South and possessing a powerful navy.

For that reason, it was natural for the sons and daughters of great noble families to be polite in their speech but not use honorifics when their positions were equal; they would simply call each other ‘Young Lord’ or ‘Young Lady.’

However, it was appropriate to use honorifics when addressing someone with a formal title.

“I am truly overwhelmed to have come to this place with Young Lord Zion Klausen.”

“…Is that so?”

“I have learned so much from the battles I fought alongside you to this place.

Thank you, and thank you again.”

For Heman, the heir of the Isik County and the future Count Isik, to show such respect and humility meant that a green light had been turned on for everything in the South for Zion.

Zion, who was quite pleased, suppressed the laughter that was about to burst out and simply smiled gently as he was about to honor the fallen soldiers again.

“Sorry for my son’s audacity, Young Lord Zion.”

Before he knew it, Count Bremen had also stood next to Zion, braving the downpour.

Whether it was from a sincere heart or just a formality,

Neither could know the other’s true feelings, but one thing was certain.

“The people of the South will never forget today’s events.”

Starting with those words, all the nobles who had been watching cautiously braved the downpour and stood before the memorial.

Following them were influential merchants and those who had survived the battle with the pirates.

Finally, all the ordinary citizens of the kingdom.

They all clearly saw.

They clearly heard.

The image of a hero who loved everything in the kingdom without any prejudice.

A man named Zion Klausen, who said he was not a hero and did not hesitate to go through any hardship to see off the real heroes who had fallen on the battlefield.

The voice that said it was no problem to get a little wet in the rain.

‘Alright.

This is perfect.

The best picture that starts with the name of Prince Erader and ends with the name of this Zion Klausen.

Isn’t this why I’ve been enduring the rain all this time!’

The beginning is difficult, but being swept away by the waves is nothing to humans.

So, Zion simply took the initiative to be the beginning.

The rest of the people would throw themselves into the wave he had created and leave it to the flow.

Once again, Zion offered a silent prayer before the memorial and shouted ‘Heehee Lupiingpong!’ a dozen times.

This wasn’t just putting out a fire in the South; it was like suppressing a major fire in one go and ending it as the main character, so he couldn’t help but feel good.

‘Now all that’s left is to ruin the Holy War!

My dear pigeons!

I’m coming to cause chaos!’

If the celestials heard that, they might have vomited blood and cursed.

―

“…Annoying, annoying, annoying!”

Trisha, who had finally overcome the backlash from using the Sacred Mark and got up from her seat yesterday, was growling without managing her terribly distorted expression.

She was watching the man she had so desperately wanted to see with her own eyes from a place overlooking the plaza, but the reason she was so angry was that the man was walking towards the memorial in the pouring rain, looking like a drowned rat, and offering a silent prayer.

“Why are you, why is Zion bowing his head!

What’s so great about that.

Should I burn it down right now?

…No, that’s not right.

No.

Zion might be disappointed in me again if I do that, so let’s refrain from burning it down as you said.

But the weather is really not okay.

Why is it raining!

Zion might catch a cold!”

Whirr―.

The Sacred Mark was trying hard to stop Trisha, but she was still having a hard time controlling her emotions.

The man who should always remain in her mind as a noble figure was now a drowned rat, and the reason was this damn weather, so she desperately wanted to burn everything, including the rain and the clouds.

Whirr―.

Clang!

The red flames and lightning stopped Trisha again.

Even if you step in here, you’ll only earn disappointment and hatred from that man.

If you truly care about him, stay quietly in your place, or move quietly like that woman.

“…I don’t have the confidence to be like Lilit, uh, sister, and I don’t have that kind of stealth yet.”

Whirr!

Boom!

Then you should hone it.

Even if you can’t do it yourself, ask for guidance.

At the Sacred Mark’s answer, Trisha frowned slightly and thought of Lilit, who was stirring through the crowd as if it were her own living room.

Meanwhile, some of the people mixed in with the crowd were carefully preparing daggers or magic.

Some were humans, and some were elves, and they were waiting for the perfect moment to assassinate the young hero who was constantly calming the kingdom’s chaos.

The rain was actually a good thing because the sound of the rain naturally muffled small noises, and they could hide something inside their outerwear to avoid the rain.

Decisively, there were so many people gathered that it was impossible to identify the culprit, and the entire South would inevitably be suspected, so it was truly the best opportunity for the celestial followers.

Thud―.

“Gack!”

Crack!

“Thuhuh!”

But whenever someone passed by them, all those who were plotting were either knocked unconscious or died standing up.

The attacker leisurely moved his feet and hands as if he knew everything, instantly subduing the assassins, and as if he didn’t want to ruin the current situation or cause a commotion, he made everyone he attacked bow their heads forward like those who were offering a silent prayer, and quickly moved on to the next target.

Thwack!

The woman, who attacked the vital points with a single blow to cut off their breath, sighed.

“Zion, you’re really getting good support.

I’m doing the work, but you’re having fun with other women… Seriously, I’ll see you when you’re done.

I’m going to suck you dry without leaving anything behind!”

Lilit muttered as she roamed through the crowd, personally sending those who dared to harm the Succubus Queen’s contractor and lover to the highway to hell.

Shiver!―.

‘…Damn it, could it be that I’m already getting a cold from being in the rain?’

Zion shivered involuntarily because he suddenly felt a chill.

For some reason, his spine was tingling, but he couldn’t figure out why, so he was even more frustrated.

―――――――Afterword―――――――

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