Reader’S Regeneration Life [EN]: Chapter 245

The Protagonist Suffers, the Antagonist Benefits

245―――――

“Sion.”

“…”

“Sion Claussen.”

Sion, who had been scribbling something diligently, finally looked up.

There, the ‘incredibly strong older sister’ from the north was staring at him, and he couldn’t tell if she was angry, sulking, or if her usual expression was just that cold.

“What on earth are you so busy with?

You’ve been up all night since yesterday.”

“Ah, this?

Um, how should I put it?

Something wicked?”

Zan seemed to think Sion was just joking and gave him a sharp look.

It meant she wanted a serious answer, not a joke.

But from Sion’s perspective, it was unfair because he was genuinely plotting something wicked.

Not just any wicked thing, but literally something incredibly evil.

‘The most thrilling time is when you’re planning something like this.

That’s why I stayed up all night.’

Both this body and Sion himself were well aware that they were not good people.

That he was by no means the protagonist of this story.

So, he had no intention of feeling any pangs of conscience or guilt.

If I strike first, it’s justice; if you strike first, it’s a cowardly ambush.

Survival is the beginning and end of everything, so there’s no need to hesitate.

And this time, Sion was reviewing the potential destruction of an entire Elven village—perhaps innocent, save for the misfortune of having a terrible relative—by a tactical nuke [a devastating weapon, often nuclear, used for strategic impact].

“…There’s something I want to ask.”

“Go ahead.

I’m listening.”

It wasn’t just any woman, but Zan Temujin herself, formerly known as Khan [a title for a ruler or chief, especially in Central Asia], a fearsome woman regarded as the nightmare of the north by the kingdom.

The tides had completely turned now, but Zan was still the strongest warrior among the northern tribes, a queen-like figure whom no one could treat lightly.

Zan was somewhat aware of this fact, so she was used to speaking down to others and to being treated with deference.

There wouldn’t be a single man in the north who would dare to ignore her like this, doing his own thing without even turning his head, telling her to speak her mind if she had something to say.

“…Haa.”

Normally, she should be angry, her rage should be boiling over, but strangely, just looking at this man made her heart melt away like snow in the spring sun.

She thought it wasn’t just his appearance but also a subtle charm that captivated people, and Zan tried to hide her true feelings, closing her eyes and opening her mouth.

“About what happened the evening before yesterday.

The red star that passed through this royal castle and disappeared beyond the horizon, only to soar back into the sky and vanish into the night sky.”

“As you said, something like that happened the day before yesterday.

A star fell, but suddenly the next day it rose back into the sky, an inexplicable phenomenon.

But why?”.

“…”

Saying it like that was as good as telling her not to open her mouth at all.

Zan hesitated whether to say this or not, but eventually made up her mind.

“Was that your doing, perhaps?”

“Me?

You think I sent the star back into the sky?”

“As you said, it’s an inexplicable phenomenon.

But if it wasn’t a star but something disguised as a star, it’s entirely possible, isn’t it?”

“An interesting idea.

I’m sure you have a reason for thinking that way?”

“…You were away from your seat starting the evening before yesterday.

You said you were just feeling restless and went for a walk, but thinking about it, something felt a little strange.”

At her answer, Sion inwardly exclaimed, “Oh!”

The time he was away wasn’t that long.

He had attached a pre-made kite with straw that was lit to look like a star, and slowly released the string, making it soar into the sky as if the star that had fallen yesterday was now clocking out after finishing its business, and the whole thing took less than 30 minutes.

If he dragged it out for too long, the relatively crude nature of the trick might be revealed, so that was the perfect amount of time, and if he dragged it out any longer, the flame might fizzle out before it rose properly into the sky.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.

I really was taking a walk then?

If you’re so suspicious, you can grab Risi and ask her.

She was with me then.”

Rishikida, who had been exclaiming in amazement, was still vivid in his mind.

She was so loud that Sion had to tell her to please close her mouth and stop exclaiming.

Of course, Rishikida had been told by Sion to forget everything that happened the day before yesterday, so no matter how much Zan asked her the truth, Rishikida would answer, ‘My master and I were really just taking a walk!’

“…Is Vanessa still special to you?”

“Watch your words.

She’s not a princess anymore, she’s a queen now.

Even if it’s a private setting, the royal family won’t be happy if it gets to their ears, so be careful.”

“I want you to answer my question, Sion.

Is Queen Vanessa still someone special enough that you need to care about her, just like when she was a princess?”

If he was asked if she was a special person, Sion would nod without hesitation.

No matter how much he was hailed as a hero of Hispania, he would always feel somewhat lacking in terms of justification without the help of the royal family.

In times like these, having the queen, the highest leader of the royal family and the owner of the kingdom, on his side was the best weapon for Sion, a justification that he could always wield along with the practical force of Kim Yu-hyun.

“She’s special.

Very special.”

“…”

“But, if you’re asking if she’s a special ‘woman,’ then I’ll confidently answer no.”

As a queen, Vanessa was the best partner, but as a woman, Vanessa was not the worst, but a partner with more disadvantages than advantages.

According to Hispania’s royal customs, those who marry the king are completely cut off from all contact with power and are only given a few honorary positions, with everything except the position of the king’s spouse being controlled.

‘It’s just a pretty picture.

If you eat it, you won’t be able to breathe properly and will have to live prostrate.’

For that reason, Sion himself had created an atmosphere where he and Vanessa would only remain as a lord and vassal who could trust each other.

Vanessa also didn’t want to trap a beautiful bird that was still flapping its wings in her cage, so she deliberately kept her distance from Sion.

“Not a special woman…?”

“Yes.

I think that’s the best answer I can give you.”

Sion answered and looked back at the operation plan he had been working on.

First, deploy the protagonist to mercilessly crush the Elves and make them stumble over their own shallow pride.

After that, reveal the hidden attack on the royal castle and the rear attack on the Claussen March, strongly pressuring the Elves and accusing them of being followers of the demons….

“Then what am I to you?”

Huh?

Sion was slightly taken aback by the unexpected question and looked up.

If it were any other woman, it wouldn’t matter, but Zan Temujin, the nightmare of the north, the formidable woman who was called Khan, was asking such a question with such a sulky face, it felt quite out of place.

“The one who came all this way for you, the one who is facing you like this.

The one who has been bowing her head and forcing a smile, observing etiquette that she has never done before for you.

What am I to you, the one who has been trying to do whatever you want?”

Hearing those words, Sion thought.

…If I answer wrong here, I could ruin the relationship with the north.

Sion knew very well that Zan was an antagonist who sometimes had a mature and deep side that made her sound like a queen to the readers, but she also had a screw loose, with a tendency to bend the other person’s waist first if things didn’t go her way.

On top of that, there was a description that Eos tended to be sulky, so Sion couldn’t guarantee that her older sister Zan wouldn’t have such a side.

‘If a woman sulks, it’s a family emergency, so if Zan sulks…’

That would be a national emergency.

Moreover, this woman was in a state one step before Trisha, whom Sion could completely control.

If things went strangely wrong, all the hard work he had done in the north would be for nothing.

“My betrothed.

The one I personally promised to marry.”

“…Is that all?”

“For now.”

For some reason, Zan seemed to be strangely obsessed with marriage.

She had even grumbled that he had only told the king and kept it a secret from Vanessa, so this was almost 100% certain.

She wanted to announce that she and Sion were engaged, but she seemed to be getting impatient as the days went by, and it seemed that there was a vague distrust of the engagement.

‘She wants to push forward, but she can’t, so that’s where the impatience comes from.’

So Sion quickly gave her a direct answer.

He had no intention of breaking the engagement, you are still my betrothed.

That was how he relieved some of the anxiety that had been gnawing at her.

“…”

Zan seemed a little relieved that Sion had answered ‘betrothed’ without a moment’s hesitation.

In fact, she hadn’t told Sion, but she herself had some concerns about this engagement, wondering if it was an uncertain future.

Not long ago, she had shown some of her true feelings to other women.

‘He’s become too big of a figure.’

Although she was the leader of a tribe, it was a fairly large group.

Therefore, she knew very well that the eyes and evaluations of those who belonged to it, and the stories that came out of their mouths, had more power than she thought.

If the many people of the kingdom who heard about her marriage to Sion said no and opposed it, they would eventually look for other conditions to maintain this alliance.

In addition, Zan herself did not want to break this alliance at this time when the tribes were returning to peaceful daily lives, so she had no intention of forcing the promised marriage, thinking of the northern tribesmen.

But Sion made it clear that he was thinking of keeping his promise, so Zan felt a little better.

It was the most difficult and painful thing to want something and struggle alone, but if the other party was thinking similarly and trying to make an effort, it wouldn’t be bad.

“Then what does ‘for now’ mean?”

“It just means that for now, I only see you as a betrothed for the sake of the alliance.

You met the women who called themselves my women while you were at the villa, didn’t you?

Did you get sick of them?”

“…Yes.”

“How was it?

Don’t be proud, tell me your honest impressions.”

Then Zan bit her lip slightly and showed a troubled expression before opening her mouth.

“They were all great women.

Starting with being simply beautiful, they all had the qualities to become strong enough to be even stronger than they are now.

Raw stones, yes.

It would be appropriate to call them raw stones that could become the ultimate jewels.”

“Good.

Then you know why I answered ‘for now’.”

“It’s frustrating, but yes.

I’m almost a finished jewel, but they’re just starting to be crafted.

It’s a shame.

I thought I was a pretty good woman, but I met you too late.”

It’s not a frivolous answer.

Zan was a woman who was serious about everything, and that answer was full of sincerity.

If she said she was frustrated, it was almost at the level of being so jealous that she didn’t know what to do.

But Sion didn’t want her to accept it so easily.

He thought that Zan would have to work harder without giving up here.

“What is it?

Is Zan Temujin, the strongest in the north, admitting defeat so easily?”

“Keueung…”

“It’s almost finished, but originally, jewels and people may not be finished.

I thought it was finished, but when I cut it further, it could shine more brilliantly.”

“Well.

I wish I really was.”

“And even if it’s really finished, there’s no guarantee that it will be less valuable than a later crafted jewel.

Each jewel has its own beauty.

And people, each individual has different specialized talents.”

Why was Zan Temujin called ‘Khan’, why was she called the nightmare of the north?

It was not only because of her ruthless personality or her relentless force like a blizzard in the middle of winter, but she was the leader of the northern barbarian tribes, unlike anyone else.

Even if they couldn’t handle mana well, the northern barbarian warriors, with their horsemanship and the tenacity unique to the northern people, were more than capable of catching ordinary low-ranking knights.

Zan, who led them and swept through the kingdom’s northern territory, was a target of fear and was given the name because she literally slaughtered the kingdom’s army, which dared to underestimate the warriors and engage in a frontal power struggle.

‘Eos is a woman who was originally seeking peaceful relations with the kingdom, and if I completely absorb Zan, all those monstrous northern barbarian warriors will be mine.’

They are not even people who run around on their own two feet.

Warriors who ride horses that are smaller but tougher and stronger than the kingdom’s warhorses.

He could freely move such fearsome people through Zan.

‘Pigeons and pointy ears are not the only enemies.

The fanatics who blindly follow them, the rotten nobles of the Holy Prussia and Nudia are all enemies.

To catch them all at once, the power of Claussen or the Kingdom of Hispania alone is not enough.’

He intends to use everything without discrimination.

The play is enough for now.

From the delinquent son of the Claussen March to the official successor, and finally to the hero of the kingdom, a vassal whom even the queen wants to rely on, it was now time to start wreaking havoc in earnest.

“Each has its own beauty?

Different talents?”

However, Zan was still unaware of Sion’s big picture, so she could only tilt her head and ask back.

Sion, thinking that he should start managing this woman’s questions, made a gesture as if to avoid Zan’s gaze and opened his mouth slightly.

“Well, it would be the icing on the cake if she was a beautiful and skilled woman, and she was also good at riding horses and had the leadership skills to control her warriors well.

A woman who can do everything well on her own without me having to worry about her.”

“…?”

“Everyone agrees with the expression raw stone.

But raw stone means that people are children who are not ready yet.

You don’t know how hard I worked to change those guys.”

“Sion?”

“So much so that these days, I think I need someone who can break down that wall and move forward on their own, even if they are slightly stagnant.

Hoo!”

So don’t worry about it and don’t even think about drifting away, you woman.

Even if I don’t intend to get married right now, I have no intention of giving up Zan, the shortcut to bringing in powerful warriors for free!

―――――――Author’s Note―――――――

Recommendations are always a great help―