Reader’S Regeneration Life [EN]: Chapter 243

243―――――

Everything That Falls

“The King of Hispania has been replaced.

Moreover, the next ruler is not the expected Prince Erader, but Princess Vanessa.

Do you know what this means?

It means we must strongly pressure Hispania, which is not yet ready to accept a new ruler.”

“We must consider this carefully.

The Holy Prussen has already sent a congratulatory envoy.

Do you not understand what this implies?”

“The princess—no, the queen—withdrew her troops as soon as she joined the Holy War.

Do you think the Holy Prussen will look upon her favorably?

I highly doubt it.”

A heated debate unfolds at the Nudia’s aristocratic council.

Watching this, Aive bit her lip slightly, observing them.

She couldn’t help but find it amusing to see those who had been silent until recently suddenly rising up like a swarm of bees.

Even when public sentiment turned sour due to the fire that broke out as the Hispana expeditionary force returned home, these people remained strangely silent, only to suddenly open their mouths simultaneously at a certain point.

All of them were expressing hostility towards Hispania, subtly suggesting that they should attack them again.

‘Are they really going to attack Hispania three times in less than a year?

Do they really want to become mortal enemies?’

Aive thought it was absurd nonsense.

At the same time, she concluded that it was impossible, absolutely impossible.

In the first battle, the Earldom of Basura, facing Klausen, was almost destroyed.

In the second, even Nudia’s regular army was投入 [invested/committed], but they returned to their home country without achieving any results.

A war with no gains is worse than not fighting at all, close to a suicidal move.

They had raised an army, exhausting their human resources and supplies, but without gaining even an inch of land, they would have to spend at least another year reorganizing the depleted resources.

‘So, what war are they talking about?

Do they think the other nobles and the kingdom’s people will agree to this?’

Aive thought so and tried to get up from her seat.

Considering it nothing more than the unanswered echo of immature nobles who only advocate for war every time, she thought there was no more value in listening.

“It is not simply that our Nudia is declaring war on Hispania.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Not only Nudia but also the Holy Prussen is subtly agitated.

From the Hispana expeditionary force abandoning the Holy War and completely ruining the atmosphere to the ominous flames rising wherever they go.

It is like a curse that arises from following shadows instead of light.”

“Watch your mouth!

The Order of Light exists in Hispania as well!”

“I know.

I am not suspecting all of them indiscriminately.

I am merely saying that some wicked individuals are occupying a part of Hispania and trying to spread their evil intentions, which is why such a curse is occurring, and I am wondering if even more ominous signs will appear as a result.”

The content and voice strangely exude an aura of conviction.

Aive sat back down in her chair, which she had slightly raised, and stared intently at a young nobleman who was speaking passionately.

“This is unusual.

There are times when you show interest in men.”

“···That’s not it, Father.”

“Don’t deny it.

That’s natural.

At least when you’re your age.”

At the man’s playful voice, Aive slightly puffed out her cheeks and didn’t answer.

At his daughter’s silent protest asking him to stop joking, Nudia’s Chancellor, ‘Etelmo Gi Lestion,’ let out a slightly embarrassed laugh and sat down.

“What about His Majesty?”

At Aive’s question, Etelmo slowly shook his head.

He wouldn’t be attending the meeting today either, so if they just made a final decision at the aristocratic council and reported it, the king would just stamp his approval without saying anything.

“···It’s almost been a year.

Father, is His Majesty really not interested in the affairs of the country?”

“The whole country knows that he is obsessed with women.”

If such words came from the Chancellor’s mouth, it meant that things had really reached their end.

Aive let out a deep sigh and turned her gaze to the conference hall where a heated discussion was taking place.

“The atmosphere feels strange today, doesn’t it?”

“Indeed.

Even those who didn’t utter a word about war after being defeated by Hispania twice are suddenly expressing hostility towards Hispania as if they had made a promise.”

“The things they say are not for the sake of Nudia but rather based on the logic that the will of light desires it.

Am I right?”

At Etelmo’s question, Aive nodded.

Quite a bit of time had passed since the teachings of light had entered Nudia, and it was no exaggeration to say that almost all the kingdom’s people were devout followers of light.

The fact that words like the will of light, shadows, and followers of the demonic race kept coming out of their mouths made it seem like something bigger than war was about to happen.

“We received intelligence from the Hispania side this morning.”

“This morning?”

“Yes.

It was an incident that happened last night, and it is said that the atmosphere in Hispania is very ominous because of it.”

Ominous?

What on earth was that supposed to mean?

What happened so soon after the Queen’s inauguration?

“A red meteor fell from the sky.

Making ominous sounds.”

At those words, Aive frowned and thought, ‘Why, at that exact moment?’

There are many coincidences in the world, bizarre phenomena that cannot be explained in words.

But not at any other time, but on the last day of celebrating the new king’s inauguration.

A meteor, which is considered ominous everywhere, fell?

“Isn’t it possible that it was just an accident?

To give an extreme example, someone could have played a trick with magic.”

“It’s not impossible.

The problem is that magicians with such outstanding skills are not common.”

“Even so···.”

“The important thing is not whether that meteor was a real meteor or not.

The fact is that the nobles and people of the royal palace who gathered at the ceremony witnessed it with their own eyes.”

Only then did Aive understand why her country’s nobles were so openly expressing hostility towards Hispania today.

Amidst a strong feeling that the kingdom itself would start to shake from within, they seemed to think that if they shook the opponent from the outside as well, they would soon collapse on their own.

‘···I can certainly understand it.’

Even a dynasty with a firm royal authority would acknowledge their guilt and refrain from all events for a week or even a month if a meteor fell near the royal palace.

If such a thing happened just a few days after the Queen’s inauguration, it would not just be pouring cold water on a festive atmosphere but an incident that would push them off a cliff.

Fortunately, Vanessa’s reputation was not that bad when she was a princess, and it wasn’t that she had no support base at all; on the contrary, she had firmly established herself, so there wouldn’t be any forces openly rebelling.

It was certainly a fortunate aspect, but even so, they wouldn’t be able to do anything about the bad atmosphere or rumors.

In particular, both the former King Edgar IV and the current Queen Vanessa accepted the Order of Light but subtly suppressed its power and propagation instead of unconditionally accepting it.

In addition, Hispania was the first to withdraw from the Holy War, brought mysterious fires to Nudia’s land, and the flames continued to their own country, and finally, a meteor fell.

“They say that all of that is happening because the descendants of light are disappointed and angry.”

“···So, that’s why they are confidently saying that Nudia is not declaring war on Hispania, nor is it provoking them first.”

“That’s right.

It seems they think that Hispania will shake from within first, rather than us taking the lead.”

Having said that, Etelmo glanced at his daughter.

She was smarter than himself, the kingdom’s chancellor.

If the Nudia royal family was functioning properly, he would have sent his daughter into politics without hesitation, but unfortunately, the king was overly fond of women, so he was trying to keep her away from this side as much as possible, fearing that his evil hands might reach Aive.

For that reason, Aive hadn’t achieved any particular merits in her own name, but behind the scenes, she had fully demonstrated her abilities and contributed more than anyone else to restoring Nudia’s state after losing the war twice.

Since she herself was reluctant to step into politics, she could sufficiently conceal herself with a slight disguise and a different impression.

Thanks to that, Aive could use the alias Chess King and operate in her own country or abroad, hiding the fact that she was the daughter of Nudia’s chancellor.

‘She was always a child with a firm confidence in herself.

But she has changed subtly since the day she went to Hispania and lost to a man in chess.’

Sion Klausen, a typical young man who hadn’t received much attention until just recently.

However, he was an unpredictable young man who brought a storm as soon as he appeared.

In fact, Etelmo was also wary of that man to some extent.

He was the one who instantly disrupted the battle between Klausen and Basura, which had always been half and half.

Despite being the heir to that great family, he fearlessly went to the front lines and even rescued soldiers with his own hands, then disappeared leisurely in front of the Nudia army, an unbelievable rumor.

Moreover, when Nudia launched a counterattack, he used the unimaginable tactic of lowering the drawbridge, causing the invaders to retreat because they couldn’t overcome their own suspicions.

Of course, if Sion heard those words about disappearing leisurely, he would have shouted, “Shut up with that bullshit!

I was running around like crazy, half dead!”

“What do you think?”

“About what?”

“Do you think Hispania will really shake?

Even if the nobles are keeping their mouths shut because they are watching the situation, they can’t stop all the public sentiment.

Everyone here knows too well how scary the power of the rumors they spread is, and there is definitely the Order of Light in Hispania, so they might pressure the royal family in some way.”

“···.”

Etelmo quietly waited for his daughter’s answer.

Not just because she was his daughter, but because Aive was objectively twice as talented as himself.

She was the one who would grasp something that he was missing, something that the nobles of Nudia were missing, and tell him that it was best to get out when it didn’t seem right.

“To be honest, I think this whole discussion is foolish.”

“Hmm?”

Etelmo raised his eyebrows as if he was surprised by his daughter’s answer.

Unless it was a different case, something that the Hispania royal family couldn’t do anything about had really happened this time.

The meteor had already fallen, and the nobles and people of the kingdom had seen the scene, and the number of people who considered it ominous would increase exponentially.

Above all, the followers of light were looking at the royal family with unkind eyes, and it was obvious that they would pressure them, saying that all of this was a warning from the descendants of light because the royal family did not directly accept and respect the teachings of light.

“Whether a meteor falls, whether there is an unexplained fire in Nudia or Hispania, or what kind of rumors the followers of light spread because of it.

Hispania will never shake.”

“Do you really think so?”

“I’m sure of it.”

“···Is it because of that man?”

Sion Klausen, the man Aive praised so much but was wary of.

Was she thinking of him again when she gave that answer?

At Etelmo’s question, Aive calmly looked at the aristocratic council, which was in a very heated state, in contrast to herself, and replied.

“I told you before.

If there is anyone I am most wary of right now, it is Sion Klausen, that man.

There are other excellent people, but they are not as threatening.”

“You said that.”

“Do you remember why I answered that way?”

At Aive’s question, Etelmo nodded and opened his mouth.

“A man with extremely ordinary intentions.

But a man with talents completely different from those ordinary intentions.

Due to that heterogeneous difference, he may just be an average man in normal times, but he transforms the moment someone is identified as his enemy.”

“That’s right.

That’s why I’m wary of that man.

Even though he is a noble, he doesn’t move for power, wealth, or fame.

If he wanted those things, he could have had them long ago, but according to the intelligence we’ve received so far, there’s no sign of that at all.”

“Hmm···.”

“You can see him as a man who just wants to settle down in reality, with no ambition.

But he has something even scarier than that ambition, a way of drawing a line around his own things and warning people not to cross it.

You know how the Count of Basura, the nobles of Hispania, and the pirates who appeared, all collapsed to Sion Klausen after crossing that line.”

Etelmo, who let out a groan, looked at the nobles of Nudia.

To be honest, he himself had no intention of being enemies with Hispania forever, but from some point on, the voices of those who followed the teachings of light became too loud in the aristocratic council.

The king was also subtly taking care of the Order of Light while indulging in women, so even Etelmo, the chancellor, couldn’t treat them carelessly.

In such a situation, they were saying that they had to weed out the wicked people in Hispania, claiming it was the will of light, so other nobles were agreeing with them, either chiming in or watching the situation.

So, what was Etelmo himself doing?

The position of chancellor had become just a honorary title since the teachings of light had filled Nudia.

No matter how many times he emphasized that they couldn’t properly lead the country by being obsessed with abstract religion, it was impossible to persuade or stop those who were already submerged in light up to their heads.

“Just watch.

Soon, you’ll hear interesting news again.

If Sion Klausen judges that this incident is harmful to him and takes action, this will not be a useful opportunity for the Order of Light but rather something that will be more useful to Hispania.”

It was a voice full of conviction, with not a trace of doubt.

After those words, Etelmo looked at Aive, who was looking at the nobles who were spouting nonsense about the teachings of light with a cold gaze and a look of disgust, and suddenly became curious.

Just what kind of man was that Sion Klausen, and what did she feel in that one chess match that made his daughter so sure and so nervous?

‘I’d like to meet him sometime.

It’s a bit concerning that he’s a noble of Hispania, but it’s even more so because such an outstanding person is said to be not far away.’

Etelmo thought so and felt that he would be busy again soon.

Because he didn’t know what kind of absurd things those nobles crazy about the teachings of light would say and do.

―

“Young Master Sion?”

“Sorry to bother you so early in the morning, Helen.

But there’s something I need to ask you urgently.”

“I don’t mind when you come, but what is it that you suddenly need to ask me?”

“The method to contact the fairies, which may have been cut off now, is there still any left?”

“···Pardon?”

“I don’t need anything else.

I just need to have a meeting with them once and make them come here and go back.

I’ll take care of the rest.”

“Y, you’re suddenly asking me for a very sudden request.

May I ask why?”

“I’m going to give them back exactly what they’re doing.”

Did you think only you could cause discord?

I’ll show you that it’s not that we can’t use such dirty and petty tricks, but that we haven’t used them.

I’ll do it even more harshly than you do.

As Aive worried, Sion’s eyes were truly gleaming with madness.

The time has come to raise the falling flames back into the sky and launch the tactical nuclear strike at the same time.

―――――――Author’s Note―――――――

(Grasp) Recommendation···.

Press···.

You must go···.

Ggaek···.