Reader’S Regeneration Life [EN]: Chapter 301

301

Who’s the Villain Now?

“We must avoid a full-scale war with Hispania at all costs.”

In the reception room of the Lestion family, some nobles nodded at Aive’s words, some looked puzzled, and others were visibly worried.

This war was started not by Hispania, but by Nudia.

Moreover, Nudia pushed into Hispania and lost too many trained regular soldiers.

The annihilation of the 1st Army would remain a painful wound for Nudia for at least a year, and the damage to the main force was also significant.

In this situation, Hispania was invading Nudia, and they seemed worried that Hispania would avoid a full-scale war and drag out the time.

“Don’t worry.

Hispania does not intend to completely conquer Nudia.”

“…The entire Hispanian main force has crossed the border, the Klausen Margraviate [a territory governed by a margrave, a noble rank] has become a war base, and our Basura County is completely surrounded and unable to move. Yet you say Hispania does not have such intentions?”

“It seems so to me as well. Even if Hispania takes the western territory right away, it wouldn’t be an overreach. The annihilation of the 1st Army was too great a loss.”

The retreated main force was busy enough just defending the area around the road connecting the west and the center.

In the end, most of the nobles in the west, where the main force had left, had to protect themselves, with no external support and no fortresses as strong as the Klausen Margraviate’s castle. Eventually, the castles would fall over time.

Hispania couldn’t possibly be unaware of this, so why advance with enemy bases behind them?

It was perhaps natural that the nobles of Nudia couldn’t believe Aive’s words.

“I know very well what you are thinking and worrying about. I used to think that way too. I wondered if Hispania was really trying to completely overthrow our Nudia and plant the flag of Hispania.”

“But why…?”

“You all know that I was captured by the Hispanian army, specifically by Zion Klausen, and then released.”

At Aive’s words, the nobles nodded in unison.

Those who followed Etelmo di Lestion breathed a sigh of relief, but the pro-royalist nobles and those who fanatically followed the Doctrine of Light were subtly displeased with Aive’s return and made various remarks.

Their soldiers and knights all fought and died, but how did you return unscathed after being captured by the enemy?

They questioned whether there was some kind of deal or whether he had begged pathetically to be spared, trying to undermine the power of the Lestion family and build their own.

‘Stupid fools. You should be grateful that at least one more person who can properly command the army survived, yet you’re spouting nonsense!’

The Nudian command staff and some nobles who had directly experienced the war grumbled.

The nobles from the east and south, who were relatively distant from the war, were saying nonsense like how could they possibly lose this holy war, or that they would have taken down the Klausen Margraviate in a week if they had stepped in.

To them, who were relatively distant from fighting, ‘war’ was just about Nudia’s loyal soldiers going out to fight, earning merit, and glorifying the country.

They didn’t know how much blood it shed and how much pain it caused.

The nobles with their sanity intact cursed inwardly and focused on Aive’s words.

“Currently, Hispania is taking the same approach that we Nudia did.”

“…Indeed. They are not touching the noble territories that do not show strong hostility and are strictly prohibiting looting, I heard.”

“Are you saying they will take the same approach we did? That this time, Nudia is the world of demon followers, and Hispania is a member of the holy war upholding the will of light?”

“If that were the case, we Nudia would have had many ways to counter, but Hispania is not such an easy opponent. Fortunately, Zion Klausen explained it to me – how they will proceed in the future, and why they are doing so.”

The nobles showed interest at the mention of Zion Klausen, who was not the supreme commander of the Hispanian army but held just as much fame, having spoken directly with him.

Aive paused for a moment and continued.

“You may be aware of the Hispanian palace attack that occurred in the past, correct?”

“I’ve heard of it.”

“Me too.”

“I’ve also heard of it. However, I know that it was an act committed by demon followers to cause chaos in the kingdom.”

At the nobles’ responses, Aive slowly shook his head.

“The story that demon followers were responsible was false information spread by Hispania to prevent greater chaos. In fact, those who committed the act were separate.”

“Are you saying that demon followers were not responsible?”

“Before answering that, our Nudia once attacked Klausen before. Do you remember that?”

“I remember that too. Basura County had barely managed to negotiate a truce, but suddenly the royal family and nobles ordered another attack on Klausen, which led to that incident.”

“At the time, the Klausen Margraviate was overwhelmed by the sudden appearance of monsters. It was almost dangerous when the Nudian army suddenly attacked.”

At Aive’s words, the nobles reacted as if they hadn’t known that far.

“But I heard very interesting news there: that the ones who attacked the Hispanian palace and the ones who pushed the monsters into the Klausen Margraviate were the same.”

“Who are they?”

“They are the ones who suddenly appeared in this war, claiming to help our 1st Army.”

Then, some nobles who had been active in the 1st Army exclaimed, “Huh?”

The ones who had appeared in Hispania, acting very haughty, claiming to help them.

They had certainly been helpful, but they were reminded of the fairies who made them doubt why they were helping them and whether they had really appeared for the sake of the light.

“Wait a minute, wait a minute, Aive. Are you saying that the fairies…?”

“Zion Klausen had already captured the fairy who lured the monsters into the Klausen Margraviate and showed me the evidence. That fairy even confessed. Zion Klausen will surely bring that fairy secretly to Nudia and use them again at a crucial moment.”

“…Really? Did the fairies really commit such absurd acts against Hispania…?”

“The Nudian army arrived at Klausen as soon as the monsters attacked the Klausen Margraviate. Isn’t it too strange to see it as a coincidence? Would those who extremely dislike interfering in the human world suddenly help us for the sake of the light?”

If the fairies really helped Nudia for the sake of the light, there would be no problem.

But what if, really, they were using Nudia for something else?

If Hispania already had evidence that the fairies were showing suspicious movements and realized that those fairies had contact with Nudia?

“Surely Hispania will question those fairies and want the truth. And if the fairies really tried to use us, they would have confessed all the contacts between Nudia and themselves, so Hispania, at least Zion Klausen, will know something we don’t.”

“…”

“Think about it. Didn’t the fairies suddenly appear a while ago and say they would prove Nudia’s innocence? It’s strange that they, who had never stepped forward even once, appeared, and Hispania already has complete hostility towards them.

In this situation, the royal palace and pro-royalist nobles are delighted with the appearance of the fairies and are urging to fight once again.”

Those who are said to be the servants of the descendants of light are helping them.

They believe without a doubt that this is the path of following the sacred will of light, so it is right to fight against the invaders, perhaps even demon followers.

The suddenly powerful nobles were clamoring like that, leading the royal palace and noble council.

This would completely tilt Nudia towards going to war with Hispania again.

Regardless of how likely they are to win, without caring or paying attention.

They are just blinded by the sudden good fortune, thinking that the light is shining on them.

‘Stupid fools! So? What if Nudia loses again? Those fairies can just run away, but why don’t you know that the people of the kingdom and you nobles are different!’

Justification is something to be used when the balance is maintained.

Now that the balance of power has collapsed, will the enemy obediently retreat just because you hold some justification, saying, ‘Oh, we were wrong. We’ll retreat now.’?

They will just push through with force, completely crush and destroy it, making that justification nothing more than trash.

“Hispania will try to hold the fairies accountable for this situation. Coming into Nudia is proof that they have found out that there is contact between them and us. That’s how they find out the truth. In the end, what Hispania wants is not our surrender or territory, but the internal unity of Hispania.”

“Internal unity?”

“When they were accused of having demon followers, some of the followers of light within Hispania caused riots. Knowing that a strong response would only intensify it, they are thinking of letting them collapse on their own and completely absorbing them again.

They will persuade them with the words that they should live trusting and relying on each other within the great fence of Hispania, not as followers of light. And as a way to do that, they have decided to show evidence that even the fairies, who are said to be servants following those descendants of light, are untrustworthy.”

“…”

“In the end, Hispania is saying this to us: Let’s not shed blood unnecessarily, and let’s turn all the past confusion, anger, and hatred towards them. Let’s use the troublesome fairies, who were only trying to exploit us, to cover everything up for them.”

From Nudia’s perspective, it is worth considering.

The reason they attacked Hispania was that they were deceived by the fairies’ cunning words.

The reason Hispania crossed over to Nudia was that they were chasing the fairies who showed hostility towards them, so they came to the place where they were expected to be related.

Everything that they hated and fought each other was ultimately the fairies, who called themselves the servants of the descendants of light, wearing a mask of purity on the outside and harboring something unclear on the inside, trying to use them.

In this scenario, neither Hispania nor Nudia is burdened.

It is not a path of insulting the will of light, but if they lead it to the fact that the fairies have fallen, there is no need to worry about the internal followers rising up.

Above all, even the fairies they believed in so firmly are so different from what they thought, leaving the question of whether the celestials can remain intact in such a situation.

“But Aive, there’s a problem.”

“You are about to mention the nobles who are currently advocating for a full-scale war and those behind them, right?”

“That’s right. The king has already issued an order to stop Hispania with war. In this situation, if we argue about the suspicion of the fairies, we will be in trouble.”

“That’s right. The current king is a strange person no matter how I think about it.”

The man who had no interest in state affairs suddenly stepped forward and clearly stated that he must drive out Hispania and chase them away with the power of Nudia.

So, those who were talking about the will of light and holy war, thinking that the Hispanian army would scatter on its own if they went to war with the fairies, became arrogant and claimed that those who opposed the war were cowards and traitors, and insisted on a decisive battle.

“…Actually, that’s why I called you all here.”

Aive looked at the nobles who were looking at him with a heavy expression, one by one.

Although small in number, most of them had either fought on the battlefield with him or were those who could confidently say that the survival of this country was more important than the will of light or whatever.

“Everyone knows that the current king was not the eldest son of the late king, right?”

Then, the nobles reflexively nodded and then froze in place.

Since Aive brought up such a thing, they roughly guessed what he would say next.

“Su, surely?”

“Aive! That’s too dangerous…”

“Are you going to leave the country to stupid people and watch it fall apart like this?”

“…”

“It is our duty to guide the monarch to the right path, but if even that ultimately fails, it is also our duty to make the right choice for the people of the kingdom. Not far from here, the one who should have been the prince is here.

At the same time, the pro-royalist forces have left the royal castle with almost the entire army to stop the Hispanian army. This is the opportunity given by heaven. We cannot hand over this country with a long history to those who are crazy about light or whatever.”

Thud!

Aive, who stood up from his seat, slammed the royal castle drawn on the map.

“We will quickly occupy the royal castle, enter the royal palace, and drag down the one who is even ambiguous to call a king. And we will recommend someone who can truly think right for this country to that position.

I don’t care if the world curses me as a traitor or calls me a power-hungry bitch. I will do what I believe is right. If we fight Hispania here, the ones who will ultimately benefit are the disgusting race called fairies, who have been using us until now.

I can’t stand that. Because the enemy we should be more wary of than those who fight with swords and spears are those who benefit from that fight.”

Then, Aive looked at those gathered in the room.

A silent question of what you are going to do.

You can go out and report his rebellion, or just go back to your territory pretending not to know and watch how the situation unfolds, or you can remain silent forever.

No matter what conclusion you come to, I’m going.

I’m going to cut off the rotten branches myself and seize a favorable position even a little faster before everything turns out favorably only for Hispania.

‘I don’t like that it seems like I’m moving according to your will, to be honest…’

Thinking about it, Aive thought that it wouldn’t be so bad to do a purge of Nudia in this way.

And perhaps, Zion Klausen, who seems to be hostile to Nudia, was actually making a silent gesture to Nudia to continue living together.

―――――――Afterword―――――――

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