Reader’S Regeneration Life [EN]: Chapter 335

335―――――

Who is the Light?

Leaving the Hispaña Royal Palace, Richel forced a smile, trying to convince himself that things would somehow work out, even though he hadn’t received the answer he most desired.

Those intoxicated by the drug of power either don’t know or deliberately ignore the fact that ordinary humans associate the Celestial Race with goodness and light.

Those who oppose them are considered evil and darkness, like the Demon Race.

That had been the established order on the continent, in the Holy Prussen, and in Nudia.

And even though the teachings of light hadn’t permeated every corner of Hispaña, even children knew that the Celestial Race was good and the Demon Race was bad, so he wasn’t worried.

‘…Yes, that’s right.

That’s what’s right…’

However, Richel’s, and the Celestial Race’s, optimistic outlook was shattered before long.

It wasn’t just suspicion towards Hispaña, but hostility towards the teachings of light, the Holy Prussen, and even the Celestial Race, which he had believed to be steadfast, was growing more and more.

‘Let’s wait and see.

Just a few days.’

Of course, he expected them to waver, to collapse, to kneel and beg for forgiveness, looking to the light.

Because they had repeatedly proclaimed themselves as good, just, and the embodiment of light.

Because they had continuously warned them of the evil of the Demon Race and threatened them, painting a picture as if they would all die if they didn’t follow the Celestial Race!

However, no matter how much time passed, the situation they desired did not materialize.

Rather, the situation, which was completely contrary to expectations, was making him increasingly bewildered.

‘Why?’

Clearly, the people of Hispaña distanced themselves from the Demon Race and feared them.

Even now, if the topic of Demon Race followers came up, they would be serious and express their dislike.

If so, they should dismiss the rumors that were antagonizing the Celestial Race as unbelievable, laugh them off as absurd, and be angry at the ridiculous nonsense.

“Why on earth are you falling for such ridiculous nonsense! You fools!”

Richel felt wronged.

Too wronged.

Contrary to the rumors, he had been, quite literally, beaten up by Zion Klausen in the royal palace.

He couldn’t even speak properly, and he was suppressed by Zion’s continuous attacks and the momentum of his followers, even though he was a high-ranking Celestial.

He did mention his disappointment in Hispaña and the judgment of the army of light there, but he never said anything that would be problematic, such as ‘all the people of Hispaña’ would be severely punished by the light.

They had no intention of turning all of Hispaña into enemies; rather, they wanted to create a moderate division, causing them to either give up resistance and accept them willingly, or, even if they resisted, only a few would do so.

They knew very well that if they incurred the antipathy of the human race, the entire race would quickly rise up and join hands to resist.

‘That’s why I put in so much effort for so long.

And as a result, I completely took over the Holy Prussen, and Nudia has already been fractured.

Hispaña should have been the same! All the plans were perfect, so how did this happen!’

They also knew about the existence of a nobleman named Zion Klausen.

They were worried that he was becoming a hero by cleaning up the chaos that was originally supposed to be inflicted on Hispaña, but they judged that it would not harm the Celestial Race’s firm position.

That was because Zion outwardly played the role of a thoroughly good person, acting like a hero.

He presented a carefully crafted image not only to those who looked at him favorably but also to those who were wary of him or hostile to him.

Meanwhile, behind the scenes, he subtly shifted the social atmosphere so that people would think ‘Is that so?’ whenever he spoke, and subtly weakened the power of the teachings of light.

He did this by emphasizing that those who were said to be followers of the light were actually slave traders and executing them immediately.

By smashing Nudia, who had invaded under the guise of the light’s will, in one blow, proving that the light did not grant victory and had lost its power as a justification.

By showing that even the fairies, who were said to be the descendants of the light, could eventually fall.

And finally, by proclaiming that they could live well enough without the light’s will, and that the light was actually subtly jealous of them.

‘This is a disaster!’

Richel became anxious.

At this rate, he would end up strengthening internal unity instead of creating division, and he would return home empty-handed.

Now that things had come to this, he decided to use another method.

If humans were not significantly affected by his appearance, he would visit other beings, especially the fairies and beastmen who had been very friendly to the Celestial Race in the past.

‘If I can turn their hearts and make them fight against humans again, Hispaña will be shaken.’

Having realized that the improved relationship with other races was having a positive impact on the humans of Hispaña, Richel decided to ruin it.

Thus, he headed to the fairies’ forest first, and there, he revealed himself in the most brilliant and sacred form possible, just as he had done in the Hispaña Royal Palace.

“Descendant of light.”

“We welcome your visit.”

The fairies’ reaction was more subdued than he had expected.

However, Richel assumed that this was their way of welcoming him, and as a result, he failed to notice the subtle undercurrent flowing between them.

And that mistake would have an even greater adverse effect later when he denounced that humans should not be trusted and that they must be fought.

“We have heard your words well, descendant of light.

If it is not too much to ask, may I ask you a question?

There is something I must ask.”

“Speak, faithful servants.”

“Where were you while we fairies were being oppressed by humans and tormented by beastmen?”

“···?”

“We have claimed to be your servants, spreading the will of light everywhere and striving to live in a noble manner befitting that position, but why do you tell us to walk in a direction that is the opposite of the will of light?

A direction filled with blood and chaos?”

In that moment, Richel sensed that something was wrong.

The picture he had imagined was that the fairies would immediately shout that they understood, bow their heads, cut off contact with humans again, and prepare for war.

But now, they were only staring at him with suspicion in their eyes.

“The humans of Hispaña have abandoned our light.

They are being manipulated by evil, and they refuse to repent as sinners without even knowing what their fault is.

Therefore, you….”

“You do not even consider the suffering that we will endure because of the war with humans, and you only say that light is the most important thing.

We have sacrificed ourselves for you until now, but it seems that you only want sacrifices from us until the end, and that is all you want from us.”

Richel didn’t know it, but the fairies had already watched the so-called ‘Fairy Village Great Raid Incident,’ which Zion scripted and Kim Yu-hyun starred in.

If it wasn’t the Demon Race, humans, beastmen, or even their own kind, then the suspect narrowed down to one.

Those who were likely to be subtly dissatisfied with their actions, those who wanted them to sacrifice for the light rather than the fairies doing well, those who never answered even when they cried out, but only appeared when they were needed and made demands like now.

“Descendant of light.

Please leave now.

If you want sacrifices, please inquire with those who have been expelled from the forest.

We are those who live for the fairy race and for the forest, not those who give their bodies and minds entirely for something called light.

If you want sacrifices, you have come to the wrong place.”

“Wh, what…”

The fairies, whom he had thought would be their slaves forever, suddenly turned around and rejected the Celestial Race.

In complete shock, Richel couldn’t say a word as he left the fairy forest.

He had never expected this, and it was a situation he didn’t even want to think about, but it was happening right before his eyes.

‘Wh, what on earth is going on!’

Richel gritted his teeth and turned his head to glare at the fairy forest.

Oh, so you were pretending not to be, but in the end, you were tainted by humans, betrayed the light, and fallen into darkness.

I will report all these facts in detail and throw you all into the flames.

Muttering to himself, he headed to his next destination, the territory of the beastmen.

He was going to praise them by saying that the fairies had betrayed them and that the only ones left were the beastmen.

Richel firmly believed that they would definitely fall for it, as they were a race that was as proud as the fairies and wanted to be recognized by the Celestial Race.

“Get out.”

That was until he was cursed out as soon as he met them.

“···?”

Richel, who thought that nothing as shocking as what he had experienced in the fairy forest would happen, was met with a situation that was like a bolt out of the blue.

What kind of race were the beastmen?

Even if not as much as the fairies, they were those who held favorable views and thoughts towards the Celestial Race.

Even if those views and thoughts were not because they admired the Celestial Race but because they believed that the ideals of their race and the will of light were in agreement, it didn’t matter.

It was enough to use them appropriately, take only what was needed, and then discard them later.

“What is this sudden rudeness….”

“It seems that your ears have been blocked from living behind the light for so long.

I will say it again, Celestial Race, no, stranger.

Please leave our territory now.”

“···.”

In that sense, he never thought that the beastmen would suddenly turn around and show a hostile attitude.

Clearly, they had also shown good eyes towards the Celestial Race, calling them descendants of light, but what on earth had happened that they had changed like this in less than a few years, let alone a few years!

“I don’t know what rumors you’ve heard, or what words the humans have used to deceive you, but that’s not true, races with free souls!

This is….”

“We have seen it with our own eyes, heard it with our own ears, and solved it with our own hands and feet.

We have found the answer there, so please stop.”

Great King Geus gave his answer with a very cold look, unlike when he welcomed Zion.

Not only that, but Haun, the chief of the Wolrang tribe, and Paulga, the matriarch of the Hoby tribe, were also showing vigilance, and they were only not revealing their claws or fangs, but it was an atmosphere where they would really subdue Richel by force if he opened his mouth any further.

Richel probably hadn’t heard the news properly, but the beastmen had already hunted down all the radical fairies who were trying to cause trouble in the north.

Since they were active from the mountains to attract monsters in the vast plains instead of the forest, the radical fairies had no choice but to be caught by the beastmen without exception.

In that situation, they remained silent to maintain secrecy and all faced death, but in fact, even this part was all calculated by Zion.

―It would be possible to create confusion if they opened their mouths and spewed out lies, but that useless pride of theirs will make them stubbornly refuse to open their mouths even if they die.

That very part is even more suspicious to the beastmen.

Why would fairies who follow the descendants of light accept death without opening their mouths?

Even though they are being hunted by beastmen, whom they call wild animals, they don’t say anything and tell them to kill them quickly?

From the beastmen’s point of view, it’s naturally suspicious.

―

As Zion expected, the beastmen harbored faint suspicions towards the fairies, and further towards the Celestial Race, from that moment on.

After that, they heard news that the fairies had betrayed them and fallen, and their suspicions grew, but all of their actions were completely different from the ideals that the beastmen had dreamed of.

In addition, Zion took care of the parts that the Celestial Race had never bothered to take care of very meticulously.

It was a so-called taking care of the in-laws, or a way of saying that you have to give something to get something.

“Our beastmen have gained so much by advancing our relationship with humans.

They even gave us the beastmen territory, which they wouldn’t normally allow, by royal decree.

It means that we can now freely roam the vast land in the western part of the kingdom.

In addition to that, they have given us beastmen so much.”

“But the descendants of light, no.

The Celestial Race has never helped our people even once.”

Haun slightly revealed his fangs towards Richel.

Richel might be at an advantage in a 1:1 fight, but the Wolrang tribe were used to group living.

If the chief showed such a sharp reaction, it was easy to imagine what the subordinates below would be like.

“I am not even curious about what the descendants of light will suddenly appear and say in this situation.”

Finally, Paulga stepped forward and smiled, using words that seemed polite, but with a clear intention of not wanting to hear anything more from Richel, with a chilling murderous intent in her voice.

In the end, Richel had no choice but to leave that place without even being able to say anything to the beastmen.

To be honest, he could have grabbed them and shown a low profile, telling them to listen to him at least once, but Richel thought that it was impossible for him, as a descendant of light, to show such a humble appearance to those races.

If it had been Zion, he would have immediately put on a business smile and said, Let’s listen to it once and then decide!

He would have sold all kinds of drugs [persuasive arguments].

―You have to give something to get something.

They have been giving and giving, but there has been no answer, and now that they have slightly changed their route and become a little better off, they appear and say, Help me once?

What kind of idiot would agree to that?

They also know that if they dedicate themselves, they will become worn-out shoes instead of receiving dedication.

―

It was the moment when Zion’s predictions, and the incidents and accidents he had unfolded as a result, were shining.

The troublesome radical fairies had been completely separated from fairy society, and the beastmen were originally races who lived for their ideals.

Zion stepped in and did the things that the Celestial Race had no intention or heart to do, so in the end, they had no choice but to turn their hearts in the direction where there was something to gain, tired of that dedication.

“If so…!”

Richel gritted his teeth and decided to lower the pride of the Celestial Race a little.

That was to occasionally show himself in the human kingdom to restore faith in the descendants of light and make them question the Hispaña royal family, causing them to rise up.

He went to cities and towns where many of the kingdom’s people lived, lowered his hood, spread his wings, and strongly conveyed to the kingdom’s people that the descendants of light really existed, and that they were truly the light itself and those who did good.

Then, the kingdom’s people would exclaim ‘Oh!’ due to the visual effects pouring out right before their eyes, saying that the descendants of light really existed, and that there was no way such a race could be evil, which became the driving force for Richel to turn his happy circuit again.

“No, honestly, isn’t it strange?

The descendants of light, who have never appeared even once since the teachings of light came to Hispaña over a hundred years ago, are now appearing?”

“It’s definitely strange that our Hispaña is achieving victory, peace, and prosperity with our own strength, brother.”

“Have you heard the rumors?

The Holy Prussen is calling Hispaña a country of sinners!”

“Damn it, isn’t that descendant of light just a prank?

Didn’t we just fall for a play acted out by a cultist who dressed up and appeared!”

However, the familiar faces of the young men who appeared after that were turning even Richel’s efforts into bubbles.

―――――――Author’s Note―――――――

Enjoyable propaganda!

Fabrication!

Wow!