Reader’S Regeneration Life [EN]: Chapter 423

423―――――

The Stairway to Tomorrow

‘These crazy bastards.’

Sion muttered inwardly as he watched the figures emerging from the sanctuary.

The sanctuary was a fortress protected by sturdy walls, but it certainly wasn’t as massive as Count Klausen’s territory.

They kept pouring out of that not-so-large place. Sion couldn’t understand what they were thinking, holing up in there.

‘Their supply lines were cut off, and with several times more people than it was meant to hold, their food and water reserves couldn’t have lasted a week.

What confidence did they have to pull something like this?’

Were they planning to eat the corpses when the kids died?

Even if we didn’t attack and just hung around outside for a week, they’d be too exhausted to hold out. It was the worst situation.

Considering that people eat and drink more during battles than usual, Sion’s estimate of a week was generous.

“Heeheeheuk!”

“Keuheuheuk!”

“So unfair, so unfair…”

Some were sobbing, even though they were being spared and allowed to leave this land unharmed.

Sion really couldn’t understand what they were so upset about.

It wasn’t like they had suddenly lost a winning war due to the machinations of traitors, or that they had plenty of food and water in the sanctuary, or even that the walls were intact.

They were about to be massacred, but they were being shown mercy and allowed to leave. Yet, they reacted like this.

Even though the allied forces were clearly showing mercy by letting the enemies go unharmed, it was the people trapped inside the sanctuary, led by the celestials, who were openly hostile.

“We will return! We will, we will!”

“You who have sinned! You will never rest in peace!”

He had barely calmed down the commanders and soldiers, and now these guys were picking a fight.

If hatred reignited among the soldiers, a battle would break out again before anyone could stop it.

And that battle would, in nine out of ten cases, be a one-sided massacre by the allied forces.

‘Honestly, I wouldn’t bother stopping it.’

He had already shown his mercy once.

Anything that happened next could be blamed on the soldiers acting on their own while he was away, and punishing the ringleaders would quell the flames.

Still, there would be those who wanted to tarnish Sion’s reputation, so he decided to wait and watch until he had a complete advantage.

“Sion, the atmosphere is a bit strange.”

“Nyaang.

It feels like a fight is about to break out. Are you sure this is okay?”

Lucia and Lia looked slightly uneasy as they muttered.

It wasn’t that they were afraid of the enemies or the fight.

How could those who had thrown top-tier celestials to the ground and bared their claws and fangs be afraid of these stragglers?

The problem for these women was that they were worried that Sion’s mercy would be tainted by these ingrates.

“Master.

The commanders don’t look happy.”

“Lia, go calm down the beastmen.

Tell them to close their ears and ignore them.

Those who lost the battle are just grumbling because they want to do something.

Hold your heads high as victors and let them talk.

Those losers.

Tell them to ignore them with that in mind.”

“Nyaang! I understand!”

Lia immediately ran off towards the beastmen.

King Geus was also here, and since the Myoen tribe had the largest numbers, Lia, as an important figure in the clan, would be able to calm them down effectively.

Afterward, Sion asked Lucia, who was quite close to others, to meet with Sirien and check on the atmosphere among the fairies, and he instructed Rishikida to warn the commanders again.

It was fortunate that Sion had persuaded the commanders and soldiers that they were the victors and far superior to the enemies, so they should be merciful this once.

If the enemies had shown such a reaction without any proper explanation, a bloodbath would have erupted.

‘Crazy bastards.

Should I just poke holes in their ships and sink them all?’

It wouldn’t be Sion if he didn’t consider such things.

In name, he was being a merciful noble by letting them go, but in reality, he could just sink them in the middle of the ocean to avoid any future crises.

It was hard to find a cleaner and quieter way to deal with them than sinking them in the sea.

However, Sion soon dismissed the idea.

There were still many celestials alive among them, and they were definitely capable of flight.

Of course, they weren’t specialized in flying, so they couldn’t fly for days, but some of the lucky ones might escape when the ship sank and reach somewhere.

And if those survivors somehow made their way to the continent and spread their stories, rumors would circulate again, which wouldn’t be good.

‘If it gets out, there will be an uncontrollable uprising.

Too many enemies.

When giving, give generously without hesitation.

If someone backstabs you afterward, smash their head, and if they keep their mouths shut and live quietly, just send someone to check on them once in a while.’

There were many who followed Sion, but there were also many who were wary and jealous of him.

Even Bereklik, the likely successor of the Guchen Marquisate, one of the three great houses of Hispania, wasn’t on particularly good terms with Sion and was quietly building his power.

As Queen Vanessa said, he was quite calculating, so he wouldn’t openly oppose Sion unless he was sure he could gain the upper hand. But if others started baring their teeth at Sion, he might try to sneak in and take advantage.

Therefore, he couldn’t be satisfied with just being a count.

He had achieved things that no one else could, so he would be the first to receive a position that no one else could, and he would silence anyone who dared to speak ill of him.

‘I have a firm grip on military power.

Kim Yoo-hyun is completely on my side, and Ludwig is now an ally.

The Ishik County in the south ensures that I won’t lack economic resources.

The Haines Merchant Guild gives me an advantage in gathering information.

I can proceed slowly without rushing.’

After finishing his thoughts, Sion decided to complete the work here and return to continue his plans.

The fortress held not only those who wanted to fight but also ordinary citizens of the Holy Prussen who had taken refuge.

The number was well over 10,000, and most of them expressed their desire to leave the continent.

He would have to ask the rest of the Holy Prussen, but as time passed, most of them would probably abandon their illusions about the light they had believed in and lean on another light.

“Sion Klausen.”

Shaga, who had been leading the people inside the sanctuary, lightly flew up and approached Sion.

Then, she bowed her head first, showing her respect.

“I’m really sorry.

I explained and warned them so much.

But it seems they still don’t know what they did wrong.”

“I understand.

It’s not easy for those who have once held a belief to change it.

Rather, it’s much more difficult to admit and accept one’s mistakes and try to improve.

Those who do that can be said to be the true descendants of light to others.”

“…Perhaps.”

“More importantly, were there any negative reactions to letting them go?

Like, are you just saying nice things and then kicking them out to sea to die?”

Sion was definitely thinking about that too.

There might be land across the sea, but it wasn’t like they could reach it in a day or two of sailing. Above all, telling people who had lived on land to go out to sea without any guarantee was the same as telling them to die.

It was fortunate that the capital and sanctuary of the Holy Prussen were not far from the coast, and that the Holy Prussen itself had developed through maritime trade, so they were not afraid of water or ships.

Meanwhile, Shaga seemed to understand Sion’s concerns and slowly shook her head, answering him.

“They say there is a large island more than ten days’ sail across the sea.

I think they will go there.

If that place is too small, they will go further and find a truly new land.”

“That’s a relief.

It’s good that you know of such a place.

Then, will Shaga guide them until they reach there?”

“…The surviving high-ranking celestials will, and if Luga awakens, he will lead them.”

“That means.”

At Sion’s question, Shaga gave a bitter smile and nodded.

“I’m going to stay on this land.

I will stay, apologize for our sins, atone, and reflect.

And I will watch and walk alongside you.

How you will go to that light you speak of, and whether we are qualified to be on that path.”

“It doesn’t sound like only Shaga will stay?”

“Some of my fellow celestials who share my views will stay with me.

We will stay and witness with our own eyes what we have done, what sins and mistakes we have committed, record them, and reflect on them.

Perhaps that is the real task given to us, and that is the true path to the light.”

Yes, that’s what I wanted to hear.

I knew it, a repentant dove.

Sion chuckled inwardly while maintaining a serious expression on the outside.

Then, as if worried, he opened his mouth with a concerned voice.

“Your other fellow celestials still won’t understand, will they?

Are you sure you’re okay?

In my opinion, you will be called traitors or corrupted, and you will be wary of you here as well, so I’m worried that you will end up being unwelcome on both sides.”

Those who still believe they are right will see Shaga as a traitor.

And the allied forces here will be suspicious, thinking that she surrendered to take advantage of an opportunity to boast as a celestial later, and will be wary of her.

Sion was asking Shaga if she was confident that she could endure all those negative gazes.

“I told you.

We are only staying here to atone, reflect, and capture our sins with these two eyes.”

“…”

“You told me.

That light is just a being that warmly descends and silently illuminates the path.

I haven’t been doing that until now, so I’m going to try to do it now.

Our true duty, our true task.

It’s late, and I won’t be welcomed anymore.

But rather, that’s why it feels like a task, a duty, and a true path of light to us.”

It wouldn’t be Sion’s delusion that it sounded like she was going on a pilgrimage.

In fact, she believed that the words and actions of her fellow celestials were wrong, and she wanted to walk with those who she thought were just humans, just fairies, just beastmen, but were showing a more advanced appearance than the celestials, who were said to be the descendants of light, on the true path of light.

“Then what are your plans?”

“Well.

To be honest, I don’t know about many things.

First, I will go to those who have been greatly hurt by us, heal their wounds, apologize in front of the graves of those who have left, and approach those who define darkness or evil as those who don’t know about the light, just because the light is right, and tell them that it is right to guide them so that they can walk the path of light themselves.”

“That alone will be a difficult and arduous journey.”

“When you stand before the gray, you will finally be the light.”

At Shaga’s sudden words, Sion silently stared at her.

“It’s a task given to us.

They thought that the task was to burn all the worlds and all beings into ashes with light and create a world full of light on top of it, and that was the way to become light.”

“It’s a terrible world just to imagine.”

“I thought so too at first.

I wondered if that was the only way.

But after meeting you, and after meeting everyone by your side, my thoughts changed.

As you said, we had to endure and endure, lead and guide, not push and force.

We had to guide those who wanted to go on the path of light to the right place when they got lost.”

The shadow of conflict that had been on her face until recently had completely disappeared.

What remained on Shaga’s face now was like a Taoist who had gained enlightenment and inner peace.

‘As expected.

They say there’s no one who won’t fall for it if you talk to them ten times, and the same goes for celestials.’

Fraud is committed by smart people, not bad people.

If you can’t talk, even a fool won’t fall for it, but if you can talk well, even a genius will fall for it.

In that sense, even the top-ranking celestial Shaga was completely 넘어오다 [ 넘어오다 is a Korean expression meaning ‘to be won over’ or ‘to be persuaded’] by Sion’s passionate persuasion, preaching, and directly showing the ‘mindset of those who want to go to the light.’

“It will be a difficult path.

I can’t help you that far.

You will be 욕을 먹다 [ 욕을 먹다 is a Korean expression meaning ‘to be cursed at’ or ‘to be criticized’] as a traitor by your departing fellow celestials and will be 의심하다 [의심하다 is a Korean expression meaning ‘to be suspected’] by the people here, but are you really okay?”

He asks one more time out of courtesy.

If she still says she will stay here, then the next operations to make this kind-hearted celestial completely 넘어오다 [ 넘어오다 is a Korean expression meaning ‘to be won over’ or ‘to be persuaded’] to this side were waiting.

Before doing that, he checks her mindset one more time.

“Light must descend without discrimination and embrace with its warmth, even if the place is dirty and disgusting.

It’s what you, Sion Klausen, and everyone who came here with you, showed by saving them, and I don’t want to be 밀리다 [밀리다 is a Korean expression meaning ‘to be pushed back’ or ‘to lag behind’] in doing that light.”

Good, passed!

Start working tomorrow!

Sion was inwardly shouting yes! countless times, but he shook his head as if he couldn’t help it and reached out his hand, meaning only to wish her well.

Shaga carefully grabbed that hand, and he slowly shook hands with her, opening his mouth in a soft voice.

“If that’s what you really mean, then from now on, please take good care of me.

Descendant of light who will guide us.

Please lead us to a place full of light.”

“…I’ll try, descendant of light.”

Already, the demons were roughly captured through Lilith, and further.

Sion was 클클 [클클 is a Korean onomatopoeia for chuckling] laughing, holding in his grasp the light who knew nothing and was just full of expectations for performing true good deeds.

―――――――Author’s Note―――――――

Recommendations are always welcome!