Reader’S Regeneration Life [EN]: Chapter 261

261―――――

How to Befriend Wild Beasts

“By the way, Gus.

These gifts are nice and all, but there must be a reason why you called us here.”

Paulga, who was quite elegantly munching on the meat, opened her mouth in a subtle tone.

The Matriarch of the Hobies, enjoying the top-quality gifts Zion had provided while not losing sight of the purpose.

At her words, King Gus swallowed the meat he had been crunching on and nodded as if it were obvious.

“Recently, Hispania, the human nation in this land where we reside, has been experiencing a lot of turmoil.

They are at war with another human nation far away, clashing with another human tribe to the north, arresting and dealing with nobles who had strange intentions in the process, and eliminating bandits or pirates in the south.

Finally, the king, who is the leader of Hispania, has changed.”

“That’s right.

But why is that relevant?”

“‘Why is that relevant’ isn’t the whole story.

Hound.

It’s not good, not good at all.”

“What on earth are you talking about?

What does the affairs of humans have to do with us?”

Hound’s reaction was one of utter incomprehension.

That was understandable, as the stories King Gus had mentioned about the current situation were all related to the Kingdom of Hispania and had little to no impact on the demi-humans.

The Wolangs and the Hobies also agreed with Hound’s opinion and looked at King Gus.

In response, King Gus very naturally passed the baton to Zion.

“At first glance, it may seem like just the affairs of the Kingdom of Hispania, that is, humans, but there is a bigger matter hidden within it.

Lord Hound of the Wolang Clan.”

“A bigger matter?

What is it?”

“There was a plot by someone who is hostile to the demi-humans.”

At Zion’s words, Paulga, Hound, and all the Hobies and Wolangs stopped what they were doing and looked at him.

As if asking if what he just said was true, as if asking what on earth he meant by that.

“You may not know, but the royal palace of Hispania was attacked by some individuals before.

I caught one of them, and it turned out to be a fairy [a mythical creature often depicted as small and winged].”

“A fairy?”

“Why did those unlucky bastards suddenly attack humans?”

As expected of two races that don’t get along, dissatisfied cries immediately flowed from all directions.

They even mocked and chuckled at why those supposedly noble beings would do such unnecessary things.

“This isn’t the end.

Later, my territory, the Margraviate of Klausen, was attacked by monsters from behind, and fairies were involved in that as well.”

“…The fairies are doing some pretty strange things.”

“They must have lost their minds from fighting among themselves, Matriarch.”

After Paulga and Hound exchanged those words, Zion remained silent, and King Gus clicked his tongue and shook his head.

Perhaps sensing something strange from that sight, Paulga raised her eyebrows and said.

“Your reaction is strange, Gus.

It’s as if you know something.”

“I don’t know exactly, but I did hear a bit of the story from Young Master Zion before this meeting.”

“A story?”

“I mentioned that the fairies who attacked Klausen used monsters, didn’t I, Lady Paulga?”

“Yes, Young Master Zion.”

“What would you think if you heard that they were trying to make it look like the demi-humans did it?”

Thud!

The one who immediately stood up from his seat was the chieftain of the Wolang Clan, Hound.

With blue light streaming from his eyes, he roughly growled and asked Zion if that was true, if it was certain.

“You may doubt my words.

Yes, I understand.

Since the humans have done things to the demi-humans, it’s inevitable that I, even if I’m not one of those humans, would be suspected as the same.

But this is real.

We have already captured a fairy in Klausen who was trying to frame the demi-humans for their actions.

We even got a confession.

And Lia heard that confession.”

At Zion’s words, Lia, who had been behind him, subtly revealed herself.

Then, Lafra of the Hobies reflexively raised her hand to greet her, but quickly lowered her hand as the occasion demanded and replaced it with a nod.

Lia also accepted her nod and slowly opened her mouth, looking at the Wolangs and Hobies.

“Zion’s words are true.

This is a fact confirmed by me, the princess of the Myo-eun Clan, and the one chosen by lightning.

The fairies were trying to frame us demi-humans and commit something.”

Lia’s voice was full of conviction.

In fact, that was understandable, because when Lia went to see the fairy who had confessed, that fairy had already been subjected to the terrifying torture of ‘carbonated nose’ [a fictional torture method] and had even been partially brainwashed by Lilith to give the answers Zion wanted.

So Lia wasn’t lying.

She was just speaking as if her beloved man’s false information was the truth.

In fact, she couldn’t help but be deceived because she had already seen and heard the ominous movements of the fairies and the celestials, so she had no choice but to believe that they were doing something strange.

“…Why are the fairies suddenly involving us demi-humans, Young Master Zion?”

Unlike the other demi-humans, Paulga did not panic or get angry but simply opened her mouth calmly and asked Zion for his opinion.

She didn’t have the expression of believing in Zion like the Myo-eun Clan, nor did she immediately reveal her hostility towards the fairies like the Wolang Clan.

It was as if she was saying, ‘Zion Klausen, how are we supposed to believe your words?’

Paulga was flashing her eyes as if there were many unsettling aspects to taking it at face value.

“To check the demi-humans, and further, to subdue them for sure.

That’s what I’m expecting.”

“Check?

Subdue?”

“Yes.

As far as I know, the demi-humans are a race that is equal to the fairies in strength and beauty.

Am I right, everyone?”

He was subtly praising the demi-humans and asking if that was true.

Would any demi-human here say, ‘I don’t think so’?

Moreover, the human who asked the question was a human that the demi-humans unknowingly ignored, and the comparison was with the fairies who always looked down on the demi-humans and treated them like beasts.

“That’s obvious.

The very fact that those unlucky fairies are involved with us is disgusting, but that’s what we demi-humans should be saying.

We are more free, more noble, and more beautiful than them.

Well said, human.

No, Young Master Zion.”

When Hound of the Wolang Clan said that, the other Wolangs howled, ‘Awoooo!’

At that, Zion muttered inwardly, ‘Yes, yes.

That’s how you should come out,’ and opened his mouth.

“Recently, the situation on the continent has become turbulent, and there are many rumors that the descendants of light, the celestials [beings of divine origin], will reappear soon.

Naturally, the fairies who trust and follow them the most are also moving, and some of them are going too far.

They think that only the fairies are enough to follow the celestials, and that other races are a burden.”

“…The fairies are likely to do that.”

“From their point of view, Hispania, which is relatively passive in accepting the teachings of light, would have been an unsatisfactory place.

So they wanted to give some kind of crisis as a warning.”

“…”

“I also participated in the holy war recently, but as I urgently returned due to internal circumstances, that atmosphere must have become even more severe.

Saying that humans are not qualified to follow the descendants of light, the teachings of light.

That those who are not ready should be punished.”

Stopping the story for a moment, Zion picked up a piece of meat in front of him, put it in his mouth without any formality, and chewed.

Even so, the atmosphere and appearance he exuded made his posture very elegant and noble and even made the complaints about why he suddenly ate while talking go away.

“Currently, the atmosphere in the neighboring countries is unusual.

Saying that the descendants of light must warn Hispania, who is expressing concern.

The ominous signs that are erupting everywhere are proof of that.”

“That’s unfortunate news.

It’s also a bit foolish.

But what does that have to do with us demi-humans?

Don’t tell me you’re asking for our help for Hispania, the land of humans?”

“It’s similar.

To be exact, we ended up on the same boat by accident, but it’s about holding hands and trying to live hard together.”

At those words, the demi-humans gathered at the table once again made questioning expressions.

They couldn’t understand what he meant by being on the same boat.

“One of my people has some connections to the news of the fairies.

That person said that many of the fairies’ villages were completely annihilated by an unidentified person.”

“The fairies’ villages?”

“Yes.

Not just a small scale, but a place where at least hundreds of people lived.”

The reaction that it was possible immediately popped out.

Even if the fairies were unlucky, they were a race with that much ability.

They could easily overwhelm humans and subdue other races as well.

But the fact that they were annihilated without even being able to resist was too strange.

“And according to recent information, the fairies are suspecting the demi-humans as the culprit.”

“What?”

“What kind of nonsense is that!”

Immediately, ferocious screams rang out from here and there.

No, these guys immediately make a fuss if you just say something a little strong.

Zion muttered inwardly like that, but outwardly he continued to speak as if nothing was wrong.

“Humans wouldn’t do that, and demons can’t even come near there, and other races don’t have that kind of secrecy, so the most likely thing is the demi-humans!

That’s what they’re saying.”

“That’s ridiculous.

Why would we?”

“Lady Paulga is right.

There’s no reason to.

Anyone would think so, but to the fairies or those who follow the descendants of light, it’s a plausible statement.

Hispania, who is still uncomfortable with the teachings of light.

And the demi-humans who seem to be quite close to that Hispania.

Aren’t they all eyesores to the fairies?”

It was a rather roundabout statement, but Paulga seemed to have understood it well.

The relaxed expression she had been wearing until now had completely disappeared, and all that remained was her sharply changed eyes, her lips without a smile, and her eyes full of cold energy.

“So, Young Master Zion is saying that the fairies are siding with the group that is pressuring Hispania, saying that it is what the descendants of light want, and are going to attack us demi-humans, who have been interacting with them to some extent, or at least suppress our momentum.”

“That’s what I’m thinking.”

“…”

“Otherwise, they wouldn’t have tried to shake the royal palace of Hispania and Klausen, the most important defense line.

If you don’t follow the descendants of light and don’t follow the teachings of light, these ominous things will continue to happen.

And the culprit of that ominous thing is none other than the demi-humans!

To that extent.”

It was a matter of course, but the relationship between the demi-humans and the fairies was at the stage right before the worst.

The places they live are similar, and they also show a similar favorable attitude towards the celestials, who are called the descendants of light.

And they are also the same in that they have strong pride and consider their race to be the best.

‘However, the demi-humans don’t openly come out and say that they will catch and kill those who don’t follow the descendants of light like the pointy-ears [a derogatory term for elves or fairies].

Should I say that they are still redeemable believers?’

Why do the demi-humans believe in the celestials?

It’s simple.

What the demi-humans want most is a paradise on earth where their fellow tribesmen can play freely and have plenty to eat.

They have faith in them because they believe that the celestials will bring such a paradise on earth.

‘If they knew that what the celestials were going to bring was not a paradise on earth but the greatest fire show on earth, I don’t know if the demi-humans would be able to maintain that faith as it is.’

Currently, the celestials and fairies have not achieved even half of the level they wanted due to Zion’s various schemes.

Therefore, they have no choice but to be impatient, and in the end, that impatience is bound to manifest in excessive actions.

If persuasion doesn’t work perfectly, then cause cracks with words, and then use the hammer and chisel of evidence on those cracks to break them as they are.

It doesn’t matter whether that evidence is real or fake.

All you have to do is make the person who accepts it believe that it is real.

“If Hispania collapses, they may take advantage of that gap to drive the demi-humans all at once and accuse them of harboring impure intentions.

I came here to warn you about that.

I happened to hear that King Gus had convened a demi-human meeting, so I wanted more people to hear my predictions.”

“…How can you be so sure that the fairies will do such a thing, Young Master Zion?”

Yes, I was wondering why that question didn’t come out.

There is evidence, but most of it is circumstantial or evidence that is only slightly related, and there is no clear evidence that the fairies are going to openly strike the demi-humans.

If this is a human’s attempt to drive a wedge between them, they could be fooled, so it was a natural course for Paulga to ask such a question.

Hound and the Wolangs, as well as Lafra and the Hobies, also looked at Zion.

A silent pressure of what kind of answer he would give.

But who is Zion?

He was already a born agitator and a professional fabricator who was skilled at driving a wedge between this guy and that guy with his instigation and flamboyant front-running skills.

“If you were in that situation, if you could kill the momentum of the fairy race, which is like an eyesore, and step on them.

Wouldn’t you do that?”

Again, the relationship between fairies and demi-humans is so bad that there is almost no exchange.

On the other hand, humans and demi-humans had a relatively good relationship.

Because of that slave trade, they blushed at each other every time, but at least humans and demi-humans didn’t consider each other enemies.

‘When they hear the news that the guys who always looked down on them and said they were dirty are trying to push them and those who were somewhat friendly with them off a cliff.

Who would they suspect?

Those who have a 100% chance of pushing them, no, a thousand or ten thousand?

Or the person who seems to be falling together like this?

It’s obvious.

If you change your position right now, the demi-humans would do the same.’

Evidence that can be presented to some extent with confidence.

And the ability to properly manipulate it and transform it to one’s advantage.

Perfect self-control that allows one to put on a suggestive suggestion to oneself as if the manipulated thing were true, and to speak in a truthful manner without changing one’s voice or expression.

Above all, a fraudulent appearance that makes the other person feel a sense of trust without even knowing it.

Even that is enough, but if the relationship between the two is terribly bad.

‘Even if you throw a stone between the two, they will fight on their own.’

The demi-humans don’t have to stand on Hispania’s side and fight.

Just do what they ask and don’t join hands with the fairies and stab them in the back.

In the novel, Hispania lost another half of its strength in the war with the alien races.

And the powerful people of the demi-humans gathered in this place in that war.

King Gus, Matriarch Paulga, and Chieftain Hound all lose their lives.

The demi-humans are thoroughly disintegrated, and the celestials and fairies who have purified the Holy Prussen and Nudia, and the still insane fanatics with their eyes turned, enter the completely messed up land of Hispania.

‘This time, I’ll do the opposite.

Pigeons, and pointy-ears.

If you are so noble, if you are such a great race, then try to endure this ordeal.

If you endure this ordeal that I give you, then you are the true good and justice, and if you don’t endure it…’

Chuckling inwardly, Zion decided to tell them the last words directly later.

―――――――Author’s Afterword―――――――

The protagonist has no intention of ending it well.