Reader’S Regeneration Life [EN]: Chapter 438

438―――――

Side Story 1.

Your Majesty, please don’t do this…

“I’m bored.”

“…”

“Ah, I’m bored.”

“…”

“Ah, I’m bored, bored, bored!”

“Just go out for a bit!”

Unable to endure any longer, Zion shouted loudly.

If it had been the original Lilith, she would have muttered, ‘Why is he suddenly yelling like that?’ but this time, she didn’t react that way.

From the start, it was all to tease Zion, who was working himself to the bone!

“Ah, if you don’t like it, quit your job and play with me!”

“Damn it!

Yesterday, I fell for that trick and couldn’t work all day!

Yes!”

“Ehey.

You need to say it right, Zion?

Honestly, you enjoyed it a lot yesterday too.

Ogu ogu [sound of affection], did my breasts taste that good?

Want some more?”

At Lilith’s very aggressive advances, Zion sighed, signaling that he wanted her to stop.

Lilith, who wasn’t oblivious, immediately noticed his mood and shut her mouth.

“It’s been a month, right?”

“It has been a month.”

“It seems like you were less busy when you were running around all over the place.”

“I’ve been feeling that way lately too.

I’m even hoping that something will happen somewhere so I can be freed from this work for a while.”

“But if you solve that problem and come back, wouldn’t there be even more piles of paper?”

“…”

Come to think of it, that’s true.

Considering that Zion himself is currently drowning in a sea of work due to the investigation and reporting on Nudia’s newly acquired territory in Klauzen, it was certain that this workload would double if a new incident occurred.

*Hoo*, sighing, Zion focused on his paperwork again.

The current Klauzen is no longer a County, but a Duchy, the only one in the Empire.

In terms of area, it was almost equivalent to a country, so his position as the one in charge of the Duchy was very important, and he couldn’t take even the smallest matter lightly.

*Swish―*.

First, I should reduce taxes on the newly incorporated territory from Nudia and release the funds I had saved up in advance to restore the destroyed cities.

As for food, if a little more time passes, land reclamation will be completed, so unless a disaster strikes, the people of the territory will not starve.

Zion read the contents of the documents, checked the important parts, and concentrated on his work, thinking and imagining the events that would happen in the future.

“Hmm.”

They say women are attracted to men who concentrate on their work and do their best.

Lilith was already struggling to resist the urge to tease her lovely man as she watched him concentrate on his work.

In the end, she almost couldn’t bear it and was about to talk to him again, but a new face appeared, stopping her.

“Duke Zion Klauzen.

I have brought the documents regarding the tax and food production investigation that you requested last time.”

“Ah, Helen.

Thank you.

Can I check it?

It’s not that I don’t trust you…”

“Not at all.

Rather, even if you said you trusted me, I was considering telling you that you must check it yourself.”

After coming to the Duchy with Lucia and Trisha, Helen focused on administrative work, helping Zion.

Having been particularly skilled in finance while running the trading company, she was naturally hired by Zion for administrative work.

And, of course, the result was quite satisfactory.

“…Certainly, there are only places where money is going out right now.”

“I was prepared for it, but the restoration costs from the previous war are definitely not cheap.

If you are worried about the Duchy’s finances, you can use my trading company’s funds.”

“No, no!

I will never do that.

The trading company’s funds are the trading company’s funds.

I will never touch them.

So, Helen, don’t say that either.

Understood?”

“Yes, yes.

I understand.”

Zion was strict when it came to money matters.

Even though Helen had now completely fallen for him, and the trading company was practically owned by the Klauzen Duchy, the trading company was still something Helen had cultivated and built up.

He had no intention of being a fool who would reach out for it from the start.

“…Try to accept her favor, even if you can’t win.”

“Huh?”

“From Helen’s perspective, from an elf’s perspective, it’s something they care about a lot.

That race is one that gives generously to those they consider their spouse.

But if they are rejected, they may smile and say they understand, but they are very disappointed inside.”

“But what can I do if I don’t want to receive it?”

“Either way, that child will think that what’s hers is yours, that even she is yours.”

Zion shook his head as he was about to say, ‘Still…’.

Recently, while he was absorbed in his work, Lilith had been quietly staying out of sight to avoid being discovered as a demon by others, and she was also doing her part as the mistress of the house to prevent friction between the women.

Zan and Lia had not yet returned, so the only one he had to worry about was Trisha, but anyway, it was all thanks to Lilith that Trisha was quietly waiting for her turn and living a normal life without any problems.

If it was something Lilith said, especially if it was related to women, it was best to follow it.

There’s even a saying that nothing bad comes from listening to your wife!

“More than that, I wonder if Kim Yu-hyun is doing well.”

“He’s probably doing well.”

“Aren’t you worried?

I admit he’s good at wielding a sword.

But that job is completely different from what you do.

Zion, you were very worried about that part too.”

Kim Yu-hyun also received the title of Count and went down to his territory in the south, which he received from Nudia.

However, unlike Zion, the protagonist was not at all familiar with managing the territory, so Vanessa sent a few people skilled in administrative work to Kim Yu-hyun’s territory.

Right now, they are helping Kim Yu-hyun, but if they stay for too long, it could be seen as excessive interference from the Imperial Family in the noble territory, so no matter how long it takes, they will leave Kim Yu-hyun’s territory and return to the Imperial Palace within two to three months at the longest.

In other words, Kim Yu-hyun would have to lead the territory on his own in two to three months.

‘At least there are many port cities, so commerce is developed, so it won’t be a problem if farming doesn’t work out.

Even if a problem arises, Klauzen can help, so nothing much will happen…’

Still, he’s a Count of the Hispania Empire, so he has to do something on his own.

Kim Yu-hyun learned from Zion that he cannot protect everything with just wielding a sword.

He now clearly recognizes that sometimes making a thousand people your allies with a single word is much more beneficial than killing ten thousand people by wielding a sword.

So, he will try to do something somehow, but it will be frustrating because it won’t work out as he wants.

‘I think I’ll have to send Helen on a dispatch when the Duchy calms down a bit.’

He was not in a position to help because his own situation was dire.

Because the territory he received from Nudia was so vast, Zion was currently feeling like his head was splitting just from rebuilding the infrastructure for that part.

“Lilith.

Are the demons preparing well?”

“More or less.

But are you really okay with this?

Didn’t you have a good relationship with Nudia?”

“Officially, yes.

But that will be impossible if Nudia’s power keeps growing.

When peace continues, they naturally end up fighting each other internally.

Instead, I’m going to create a crisis situation to maintain an appropriate state of tension.”

“Sha was looking at you very favorably.

She’ll be very angry if she knows you’re manipulating things from behind like this.

No, she won’t just be angry, she’ll feel betrayed and come at you to punish you.”

“There’s a saying, Lilith.

You can’t *not* do bad things.

Just don’t get caught.”

It was a famous saying from the Sergeant Major who kept warning that the smell of cell phones was coming from somewhere.

You can’t *not* do bad things.

Just don’t get caught.

Then it’s fine.

“…You’re really confident.”

“Because Lilith, me, and the women around us just need to be careful.

Besides, even the people who know Lilith’s identity won’t think I’d use this kind of method.”

After about a month, Nudia had calmed down a lot of the chaos.

And now, she was gradually absorbing the territory of the former Holy Prussen.

Of course, there were those who resisted in the process, and there were even those who resisted with armed struggle.

The only ones the Celestials took with them were those in the capital of the former Holy Prussen.

Naturally, the extreme supporters of light in other regions did not recognize Nudia and expressed their intention to resist.

“It wouldn’t be demons if they were quiet at times like this.

Slowly attack and descend from the north of Nudia and the former Holy Prussen.

Give them some confusion and retreat when Nudia judges that the atmosphere is unusual.”

“Instead of absorbing the territory of the former Holy Prussen, she’ll be too busy worrying about the north because she’s worried that the demons will attack.”

“We have to make sure that even if Nudia rises again, she won’t even think about confronting Hispania.”

“Really, I’m starting to feel sorry for Nudia.”

“What can I do?

I’m a person of Hispania, not a person of Nudia.”

“Wow, you’re really evil.

That’s why I can’t help but fall for you.”

At Lilith’s playful muttering, Zion smiled to express his gratitude.

As he was about to concentrate on his work again, another woman’s voice was heard from outside.

“Master!

We have a guest!”

“A guest?”

“Yes.

People from the Imperial Palace have arrived.”

From the Imperial Palace?

Zion put down the documents he was looking at and tilted his head.

Although the entire Empire has been busy lately, it was safe to say that there was nothing so urgent that Empress Vanessa would look for him.

Zion had already almost perfectly cleared up the traffic, and Vanessa was cleverly using the path Zion had opened to focus on Hispania’s path to success.

‘But why did someone from the Imperial Palace suddenly come?’

Doubt after doubt arose, but the first thing to do was to meet the person who came from the Imperial Palace.

Zion got up from his seat and headed for the door.

“Ah, please, I’m begging you, don’t hide the documents again as a prank.”

“I won’t.

I’m a woman who can read the atmosphere too.

Do you think I’m such a fool that I’d play pranks with that when you don’t have any time to spare?”

“Of course.”

“Hey!”

Lilith knew it was Zion’s joke, so she shouted back playfully.

It was like they knew each other so well that pranks were everyday life and everyday life was pranks.

“Master.”

“Rishi, you’re working hard.

So, someone came from the Imperial Palace?”

“Yes.

But…”

Rishikida suddenly trailed off.

Since she rarely trails off, Zion immediately realized something was up and leaned in slightly, bringing his ear close to her mouth.

“It’s a little strange, Master.”

“What do you mean?”

“They’re definitely not the Imperial Knights.

Most of them were faces I’ve never seen before.

But they were stronger than them, if not stronger, and they came as people made up of those who were not weak at all.”

At Rishikida’s words, Zion blinked his eyes for a moment.

People who are stronger than the Imperial Knights, if not stronger, came?

But those people came to Klauzen under the name of people sent from the Imperial Palace?

“…Rishi.

Where are they now?”

“I’ve gathered them all in the reception room for now.

And in case of an emergency, Lucia and Trisha are all…”

“No.

Move them all back.”

“Yes?”

“Tell Sebastian to move everyone back from the reception room.

Instead, raise the defense of the castle to the maximum level and make the best preparations so that there is no room for criticism.”

“Master?

What do you mean…”

Probably.

“Probably, a very important guest has come.”

―

Entering the reception room, Zion faced the person who said they were from the Imperial Palace.

He introduced himself as a special envoy sent by the Emperor, but he was someone Zion didn’t recognize.

‘…’

Zion glanced around.

There were a total of three people behind the so-called special envoy, and somehow it seemed like the two on either side were perfectly protecting the one in the middle.

The momentum coming from there was so great that Rishikida did not let go of her sharp momentum and stayed by Zion’s side, taking a stance to prepare for any situation.

“…So, Her Majesty the Emperor sent me to ask for Duke Klauzen’s opinion.”

“You said Her Majesty sent you to ask for my opinion?

Her Majesty the Emperor?”

“That’s right.

What answer will you send back?”

Judging from the fact that his voice didn’t waver at all, he was an excellent actor.

If the two knights standing behind him hadn’t looked so stiff, Zion wouldn’t have noticed right away and would have answered the Emperor’s question.

‘How much has Rishi’s skill improved?’

She is a high-ranking knight who received intensive tutoring from Kim Yu-hyun.

From the start, it was only natural for a woman with talent to improve rapidly after receiving guidance from the strongest person in the world.

In front of such Rishikida, no matter how hard they tried to hide their momentum, it was inevitable that it would be revealed, Zion looked at the members of the Royal Secret Guard Knights in front of him.

No, now we have to call them the Imperial Secret Guard Knights.

“I want to give my answer directly to Her Majesty the Emperor.”

“…Yes?”

Why are you pretending not to understand?

You’ve already been caught.

Zion smiled inwardly and turned his gaze.

Then, he politely greeted someone who just looked like a simple group.

“What brings you to this distant place, Your Majesty the Emperor?

If you leave the Imperial City in secret like this and the word spreads that Your Majesty has disappeared, it will have a negative impact on the Empire.”

“…”

“You asked for my answer, and if you want to hear it, I earnestly ask you to stop pretending not to know.”

A moment of silence lingered in the reception room.

After a few minutes, a woman’s dignified voice was finally heard.

“You’re being too much.

Really, too much.”

She grumbled inappropriately for her age and position.

The Emperor of the Hispania Empire, Vanessa, threw back the hood that was covering her face, expressing her dissatisfaction.

“Couldn’t you just pretend not to know once?

Do you hate being fooled that much?”

Vanessa said that and pouted her lips.

She was quite cute for an Emperor of a country, the absolute ruler of the Empire.