Reader’S Regeneration Life [EN]: Chapter 406

406―――――

No Hope

“···.”

“··· ···!”

The messengers from each camp met in the middle of the field where the two armies were facing off.

They talked in the very center, where the white flags fluttered, and soon turned their horses around and galloped back to where their commanders were.

“I don’t understand what’s going on.”

Zane, who had been doing reconnaissance for almost a month and was happy to finally be able to fight a real battle, complained about the situation, which he couldn’t understand no matter how hard he tried.

Until recently, the front line had been filled with the tension of war, but suddenly they raised a white flag and seemed to be asking for a conversation, which took all the energy out of him.

“It’s suspicious.

Suspicious, suspicious.”

Trisha seemed to think this was definitely a trap, and she scanned her surroundings with a glint in her eyes.

She seemed worried that enemies might attack from behind or from the side, but that probably wouldn’t be possible.

‘The northern warriors have checked all the possible ambush locations in this area.

There are even griffins above our heads to watch the enemies’ movements.’

It’s even a plain with no place to hide troops.

Attacking the rear or flanks from here was too much of a stretch, so Zion wasn’t too worried about that.

“Commander Zion Claussen.”

The messenger, who had spoken with the messenger from the Holy Prussen, dismounted in front of Zion and knelt before him.

Then, he began to tell him what he had discussed with the other messenger.

“The Holy Prussen side says the Celestials want to talk to you.”

“The Celestials want to talk to me?”

“Yes.

They want a meeting where all the troops remain in place, and only the commanders of each camp come forward.”

‘Is this a blatant attempt to target me?’

But that seems a bit far-fetched.

Just in case, Zion asked an important question.

“What about escorts?”

“They say only one person each.

You and your escort, and one Celestial to talk to and another Celestial to escort him.”

“Hmm.”

In this case, the Celestials are at a disadvantage.

If I just take Kim Yoo-hyun with me, it’s obvious that the enemies won’t be able to lay a finger on Zion, no matter what they do.

That means the Celestials aren’t targeting Zion himself, but have some other motive.

“Master.

It’s suspicious.

It’s too sudden to have a conversation when two armies are facing each other!”

“Nyaang, me too.

It’s too weird, right?

Why are they talking now?”

“Zion.

Let’s just attack.

We have the upper hand in numbers now, so we don’t need to follow their lead.”

Rishikida, Leah, and Zane strongly expressed their opinions in that order.

They were saying that the enemies had been defeated by Zion several times, so they should be careful because they might be harboring resentment and doing something.

“···Your expression is strange.”

However, Lucia muttered, watching Zion.

He was silent, and she immediately guessed that he had other intentions, as she expected him to dismiss it as nonsense.

“Because the situation is strange.”

In any case, they were the first to raise the ‘white flag’ and bow their heads.

To have a conversation is to say that there may be a way to resolve this situation without fighting.

And unlike those fanatics, this army is made up of people who clearly want to live and return to their homes.

In a situation where they have no choice but to fight, they will fight harder than anyone else to protect that place to return to, but in a situation where they don’t have to fight, there will definitely be a drop in morale.

If the enemies make a fuss that Zion is trying to resolve peacefully what could have been resolved peacefully, then the allies will also be shaken.

If that happens, Zion, who was trying to end things perfectly without a single blemish, would have to put up with the fatigue.

‘Since they’re going this far, I want to see what they’re up to.’

Maybe they’ve prepared something great that I don’t know about.

Zion had some expectations that what he thought was just a childish prank might become a historically significant meeting, and he told the messenger that he would accept the meeting.

“Master!”

“Zion!”

“Zion!”

Of course, the women reacted as if they couldn’t understand the decision at all.

That’s because, unlike before, when they were weaker than the enemies, now their camp was more likely to win.

Hispania’s reinforcements were arriving one after another, Nudia’s scattered forces were being reorganized to some extent, and the elves and beastmen warriors had all arrived and formed a camp.

It was only natural that they couldn’t understand why he would agree to a conversation with enemies who would have surrendered if they had just pushed them with force, leaving everything else behind.

‘But why are they going the way they want?’

If such a question were to be asked, Zion would answer with a smile.

‘I want to crush even the last remaining hope.’

If you just push them down with force, they’ll raise their heads and resist again.

Once you’ve decided to clean up, you have to completely crush them mentally and externally so that they don’t even think about getting up again, Zion thought.

“Kim Yoo-hyun.”

“Yes, Young Master Zion.”

“You’re coming with me.

If they limit the escort to one, it means they want me to bring you, so I’ll give them what they want.”

“That’s what I want.”

Zion nodded at Kim Yoo-hyun’s agreement and looked to the side, saying to those who still had dissatisfaction and worry on their faces.

“Don’t forget what I said, everyone, and wait.

Don’t act the way they want, but lead them the way we want.

Got it?”

Lucia, Rishikida, Leah, Trisha, and Zane nodded immediately at Zion’s words.

They were a little upset, but they agreed because they could trust Kim Yoo-hyun to take care of Zion, and they couldn’t insist on following him because they were in charge of important parts right here.

“Well, shall we go?”

Zion and Kim Yoo-hyun got off their horses and walked to the very center of where the two armies were facing each other.

“You must think it’s strange too, Young Master?”

“Of course.

They can’t not know that if they say to bring only one person, they’ll definitely point to you.”

“If that happens, they’ll be able to get rid of me right away without anything getting in the way.”

“And they’ll be able to target me, who can be called the head.

But if they’ve plotted this just to get rid of you and me, they’re a little short-sighted.”

They must be preparing another trick, but he was still sorry that he couldn’t find the end of it.

Zion kept walking, happily wondering what exactly they were thinking, and finally arrived at the place where the conversation would take place.

And there, there were already those who had come out first and were waiting for the two men.

“Welcome, Zion Claussen.

It’s the first time we’ve met in person.”

Like Shah, the multiple pairs of wings on his back tell us that he is a top-ranking Celestial.

Zion nodded, as he couldn’t tell exactly who the other person was, and the other person smiled and introduced himself to him.

“I’m Cha.

The friend standing next to me is Dan.

Let’s just say that we are the eight branches of light who are working hard for the cause.”

“Now it’s seven, Cha.

The other side dropped one of them.”

The top-ranking Celestial called Dan muttered with a playful smile on his lips.

Kim Yoo-hyun frowned, but refrained from expressing his anger, as he couldn’t tell whether it was just a pun or an act of hostility.

“I guess so.

Anyway, I’d like to thank you for bringing such precious people all the way here.

Oh, and I’d like to thank you for sending Shah back in good condition.

To be honest, I thought you’d kill her or make her completely miserable and send her to us as a boast, but you sent her back in good condition because you wanted to show that you were still human.”

“I’d be sorry if you thought we’d do something harsh to her.”

“It’s a pity.

Thanks to you, Shah was in a lot of conflict.

I’m curious to know what you said to shake her heart so much.”

“I can do it for you if you’re curious.”

“Sorry, but I refuse.

I’m worried that I’ll fall if I hear that!

Hahaha!”

He was a Celestial who was quite capable of making people feel bad.

Even Zion wondered if this guy was really a Celestial, or if he was a demon disguised as a Celestial.

‘No.

Thinking about Lilith-nim [referring to the demon lord Lilith], even thinking that might be rude to the demons.’

After that, Cha kept saying strange things to Zion.

He said that he was a really great human being, and that it was a human, not a demon, elf, or beastman, who was interfering with their work.

He said that if he could turn back time, he would have been more wary of humans than demons.

Then, he turned his gaze slightly and opened his mouth to Kim Yoo-hyun this time.

He said that he never imagined that there would be such a strong person among humans.

He asked why someone with the skills to literally chew up not only the strong, such as the Saint and the higher Celestials, but even the top Celestials, was working under someone else.

“···.”

Kim Yoo-hyun’s left thumb began to gently rub his index finger.

To others, it may seem like a meaningless gesture, but Zion, who knows Kim Yoo-hyun’s character better than anyone else, knows what it means.

‘Should I kill him or not?

A habit that comes out when I’m worried.’

In other words, the life of this Celestial named Cha was in danger, but Cha, who didn’t know that at all, just kept talking in a relaxed tone.

It was to the point where he didn’t know whether this was a place to have a conversation or a place to just rant before dying, so Zion slowly decided to open his mouth.

“Stop with the nonsense.

It’s a waste of time.”

“Oh, really?

Dan.

Did you think so?”

“Obvious.

I was getting tired of listening and was thinking of slapping you in the face.”

Thankfully, Dan was saying what he really thought without hesitation.

Cha let out a short laugh at Dan’s reaction, scratched his cheek, and opened his mouth.

“Well, okay.

I was just trying to make you laugh because the atmosphere was too stiff, but if you want something quick and easy, I’ll have to do that.”

With that, Cha stared at Zion with a fiercely flashing gaze.

Kim Yoo-hyun was touching the hilt of his sword as if to say to be reasonable, as he could feel such a fierce momentum.

“What are you doing?”

“What am I doing?

I’m going to let everyone on both sides hear this conversation from now on.

Why?

Is there anything uncomfortable about it?

Are you afraid that something will come out that shouldn’t be heard by others?”

“Of course not.”

“Good.

Then I can do this even more.”

Zhiing―.

A faint light seemed to linger, and soon Cha’s voice grew twice as loud.

“I’ll introduce myself again.

I am Cha, the top Celestial and the one who judges the foolish.

I’ve been working with the demons to erase those who deviate from the path.”

“Is that so?”

“So I’ll ask.

Zion Claussen, and sinners.

If you really haven’t committed any sins, why are the traces of demons still on your side?

Don’t think about asking what I mean.

We’ve already found out that the demons who came down from the Mortal Realm are secretly contacting you after repeated investigations.”

“Is that the same method again?

You only investigated and found out.

Nonsense that we can’t accept at all?

Are you going to insist that we’re sinners again?”

“You have to listen to the end.”

Cha said that and smiled quite unpleasantly.

If it were really possible, he wanted to slap that pretty mouth once, but it wasn’t the time yet, so Zion was just holding it in.

“I knew you’d say that.

But what can I do?

We know it’s true, and you’ll say it’s not.

Then, in the end, all that’s left is to fight until everyone dies here, but then there will be nothing left in this world.

Right?

So I’m saying this, and I’m borrowing this place to show you and your sinners that our descendants of light are showing mercy.”

“···.”

“We will forgive all your sins, and we will pretend that all your words and actions have never happened.

Instead, Zion Claussen.

You sacrifice yourself.

I’m saying that you should prove your innocence and innocence with your life.”

···What kind of nonsense is this?

Zion blinked his eyes and let out a sigh without realizing it.

‘I didn’t think they would really come out like this?’

Everyone doesn’t have to die, but if the person who shouted the most about injustice proves it with his life, will they pretend it never happened?

“You haven’t committed any sins, you haven’t fallen.

Isn’t that what you wanted to say?

I’ll believe you.

I’ll believe you.

So show me your sincerity.

If you, who were the first to claim that injustice, sacrifice yourself, then our descendants of light will acknowledge our faults and ask you for forgiveness.”

So, die.

Listening to Cha’s words, Zion could see why they were dragging out the time and why they were silent until new people kept gathering in the Allied Forces.

At first, everyone stood up with a great sense of mission, but now that sense of mission has faded long ago.

Even many people have died or been injured in the fierce battle, and more people will fall like that in the future, and they may never see their loved ones again.

If those who fought fiercely are like that, how good would it be if the reinforcements from Hispania who had just arrived could go home without fighting and with all their grievances resolved?

Even the descendants of light, the Celestials, will bow their heads and ask for forgiveness.

To humans, to elves, to beastmen.

This was a great thing, something that could erase all the grievances and suspicions of the past.

They say they’ll give it all if one person sacrifices everything.

Zion Claussen, the ‘hero’ who led this war to this point, shouted that he stood up for the light, and now everything is a fight for everyone, not individuals.

Using the past achievements that he fought for others without taking care of his own body, this Celestial is whispering to the humans beyond Zion that you can sacrifice yourself for them and end this boring fight, because you are a hero, a great and sacred hero who can stand up to the descendants of light.

‘This is a bit much.’

I never thought that they would package and use all the things I’ve done so far like this.

You are a hero, a great and sacred hero who can stand up to the descendants of light, so of course you can sacrifice yourself for them and end this cruel fight, he is asking.

“···.”

He glanced back.

Right now, they don’t seem to understand and are reacting as if they’re talking nonsense.

In the end, Zion was thinking about how those many people also wanted to live their lives and followed him here, so how could they not be shaken.

‘I never thought they’d shake it up like this.

If he wasn’t a Celestial who knew how to use his head this much, and if he was a woman, he would have been a perfect fit for our company, and I would have given him a pass necklace [a necklace given to employees who are considered exceptional].’

But, what should I do?

All of this that you’re thinking is just a play that’s reaching its climax.

―――――――Author’s Notes―――――――

Recommendations are always a great help!