Reader’S Regeneration Life [EN]: Chapter 439

439

Side Story 1.

Your Majesty, please don’t do this…

“You may all leave now.”

“Your Majesty.”

“Do you suspect Duke Zion Klauzen? It displeases me.

I know what you are worried about, but directing that at him is the same as disregarding my judgment. Leave without another word.”

“…Understood.”

The Imperial Secret Guard retreated at Vanessa’s cold tone.

Zion watched them leave, gently patting Rishikida’s back. She followed them out of the reception room, leaving only Zion and Vanessa inside.

“You seem to trust me too much.”

“If I don’t trust you in this empire, who else would I trust?”

“I suppose that’s true.”

Zion smiled and stood up.

He poured the prepared tea into a cup to offer Vanessa, but paused.

“Should I taste it first?” he asked, feigning suspicion.

Vanessa, noticing the playful tone, waved her hand dismissively, inhaled the tea’s aroma, smiled, and took a sip.

“How is the duchy doing?”

The Emperor’s first words, after a moment of silent tea-drinking, were about the duchy.

She knew well that the Klauzen Duchy, the largest territory in the Hispania Empire, almost a small kingdom, had a vast amount of work pouring in.

The one in power has more responsibilities to bear as they enjoy more rights.

“I’ve been very busy for the past month.

So busy that I couldn’t even contact Your Majesty.”

Vanessa nodded, muttering, ‘That’s right, it can’t be helped. I must understand.’

“I understand. You received the territory of Nudia and had to relocate those who are now your people there, so it would be stranger if you weren’t busy.”

However, she couldn’t bear it and slammed the teacup down with a clatter!

“Still, you went too far.”

“Pardon?”

“Didn’t I clearly say? On the day you left the Imperial Palace, I told you clearly.

To show your face from time to time, even if it’s just occasionally.

That’s why I even allowed magical communication.

But how could you be out of touch for a whole month?

A whole month!”

For a moment, Vanessa showed her princess-like side.

Of course, she regained her composure, cleared her throat, and returned to her dignified Emperor persona.

“Did you take the imperial order lightly?”

“Absolutely not.

I just thought that Your Majesty was busy…”

“No matter how busy I am, I always have time to talk to you.”

Zion couldn’t fail to notice the sudden change in atmosphere.

He realized that Vanessa was too different from her usual self and bit his lip slightly.

This felt like the atmosphere was flowing in a direction he didn’t want.

“There’s been a lot of talk among the nobles, whether you know it or not.”

“Pardon?”

“Right now, you are Duke Zion Klauzen.

Since you pledge absolute loyalty to this empire, they won’t openly object or show their concerns.

That would be insulting you, who has sacrificed so much for this empire, and opposing me, who trusted you.”

Vanessa took another sip of tea.

Then, looking at her reflection in the teacup, she continued.

“But the future is uncertain. No one knows what kind of person the next Duke Klauzen will be.

Even those who rule the world can’t control their own children as they wish.”

“The nobles seem to be worried that the next Duke Klauzen might rebel against the empire.”

“I’m sorry to say this to you, but that’s the reality.”

I understand.

Of course, I understand.

Looking at history, children aren’t always as excellent as their parents.

Of course, a tiger doesn’t give birth to a puppy, so a child as talented as their parents might appear, but politics is about considering the worst-case scenario before the best.

The nobles seemed to think that if the Klauzen Duchy, with its vast territory, harbored rebellious intentions, it would be a more terrifying enemy than Nudia.

“It’s my fault for not dispelling the nobles’ anxieties.”

“No, it’s a natural concern.

There hasn’t been a noble with such a large territory before.

As far as I know, even if you combine the territories of the three margraves [nobles ranking below dukes but above counts], they are still smaller than the Klauzen Duchy, aren’t they?”

As Zion said, even combining the territories of the three margrave families wouldn’t match the Klauzen Duchy.

Even though the Ledenen margrave family received more territory for their contributions, it was still not enough, so it was natural for other nobles to see Klauzen’s growth as excessive.

“Whether they are worried out of loyalty to the empire and the imperial family, or whether they are saying such things for other purposes, the result is the same.

The current Klauzen is enormous.

It occupies the most land after the imperial family’s direct control.”

“…”

“Furthermore, Kim Yoo-hyun, who recently became a count, is very close to me.

Since those two are adjacent to each other, the nobles will be even more worried.

Because they will suffer the most damage if the empire they have completely settled in is shaken.”

The nobles were wary of Zion and Kim Yoo-hyun for that reason.

Not only because of their loyalty to Hispania, but also because their position, having chosen the empire, would be mercilessly shaken if the empire were to be shaken by them.

They hate losing more than death, so it was natural.

“Your Majesty.”

“Speak.”

“Why did you come all the way out here?”

“…”

“Somehow, I feel that the reason Your Majesty came here and specifically mentioned that part to me is because you want to say something to me.”

“…”

The Emperor was silent.

She was just fiddling with the teacup, biting her lip unlike her usual self.

“Your Majesty, I’d rather give up everything before I die.”

“…”

“No matter how I think about it, I don’t think that’s what Your Majesty is thinking.

Right now, outwardly, I’m supposed to be with Zyan from the north.

Even if that’s not the case, as Your Majesty knows, I’m entangled in complicated women’s issues.”

“…”

“There’s nothing good about being involved with the noble imperial family.”

“Is your bloodline lowly? Klauzen has been a great noble family since it was the Frontier Marquisate [a territory bordering another, often hostile, nation], and now it’s the only duchy in the empire.

You wield power second only to the Emperor.

What’s the problem?”

At Vanessa’s words, Zion hesitated for a moment before blurting out these words.

“I already have women in my heart.

And not just one.”

“…”

“I didn’t make an issue of it because I knew that as a duke, I could have concubines in addition to my legal wife.

But Your Majesty is different.

The Emperor must shine nobly on their own.

They must be the only existence.

So what you’re thinking now is not right.”

“What if I pressure you?”

“I don’t think you would do that.”

At those words, Vanessa unknowingly gripped the teacup tightly.

She opened her mouth, her eyes shining with a sense of disappointment.

“You clearly said it with your own mouth.

That you don’t have to give up.

What was that answer?”

“I have nothing to say even if I had ten mouths about that part [meaning he deeply regrets saying it].

But right now, I don’t have enough 余裕 [yoyu – Japanese for leeway or margin] to give up someone else.

If they are hurting…”

“Are you saying it’s okay for me to hurt?”

A woman like Vanessa would know what is a more rational answer in the current situation.

Yet, she kept becoming emotional, coming closer instead of backing away.

Even though she knew that if she approached like this, the other person might run away instead of giving up.

“…The reason I came here was to see the situation of the Klauzen Duchy and to hear from you, who is closest to Count Kim Yoo-hyun, who has newly taken his position, about how he is doing.”

Perhaps she finally realized that she had run too far.

Vanessa calmed the excitement in her voice and returned to her usual calm tone.

“Are there any special developments in Nudia’s movements?”

“No, they seem to be putting all their efforts into absorbing the territory of the former Holy Prussen.”

“They gave up the relatively fertile western lands and the southern lands with port cities, so it must be a matter of life and death.

That’s why they gave up those important territories.

Always keep an eye on them.

Even friends walking the same path now, nothing is eternal in this world.”

“I will keep that in mind.”

“…Did you really keep that in mind?”

At Vanessa’s sudden question, Zion slightly raised his head.

There, instead of Emperor Vanessa, sat Princess Vanessa, whom he had seen in the past.

“I can’t be the Emperor forever.

Sometimes, I want to be someone’s woman.”

“Your Majesty, that part is…”

“I’m tired.

I’ll get up now.

Let’s talk again in the evening.”

Vanessa stood up and left the reception room as if fleeing before Zion could even say anything.

Behind her, Rishikida, who had been waiting in advance, hurriedly followed Vanessa, saying she would guide her.

‘I’m going crazy.’

As soon as Vanessa disappeared, Zion slumped down in his chair and sighed.

He had roughly expected it.

From the fact that she had given this vast territory to Zion Klauzen so readily, to the reaction that she wasn’t worried even though the nobles’ concerns would intensify over time.

He had already thought that Vanessa would have come up with a solution for that.

The problem was that it was very difficult for him to accept it.

‘The external part is a problem right away.

This could mess up the relationship with the northern tribes.

If this happens while Zyan hasn’t even stepped down from the position of tribal representative, it will become really serious.’

Zyan is one thing, but all the other women are also a problem.

If Zion himself remained a duke, it wouldn’t be a problem no matter how many women he took in.

If you are capable, it doesn’t matter how many women you have.

But the Emperor’s consort is different.

This is directly related to the authority of the imperial family, and the Emperor’s consort cannot embrace another.

Leaving aside the issue of authority, the succession issue becomes very complicated.

Vanessa’s attempt to connect with him was the result of her thinking that she would pass on all the succession rights of the Hispania Empire and the Klauzen Duchy to the one born between them.

But if he were to connect with another woman, another heir to the Klauzen Duchy would be born, which was absolutely impossible.

‘Then can I give up the other women?’

That is also absolutely impossible.

At least with Lilith, Helen, and Lia, there is some possibility.

But what about Rishikida?

Lucia?

Zyan, Trisha?

All of them are women who are only looking at him, so if the Emperor snatches them away and can’t do anything about it, can they stay still?

Even if Rishikida or Lucia don’t, Zyan and Trisha are women who will definitely cause an accident.

And Zion knew very well that the accident was not just a simple ‘accident’.

‘This is not it.

No matter how I think about it, this is not it.’

You have to do things within a manageable range.

This is an act that looks like suicide to anyone.

Vanessa couldn’t possibly not know that, so Zion couldn’t understand why she kept insisting on this path.

‘Could it be that she doesn’t know that I have a lot of women yet?’

This thought was definitely possible.

In Vanessa’s eyes, Rishikida and Trisha are just loyal knights, Lia is a friend she made to befriend the beastmen, and Lucia is a continuation of the friendship between Lichten Klauzen and Raido.

She might only think that there is only Zyan and is only thinking about a solution for that part.

She doesn’t even know about Lilith’s existence, so she wouldn’t even think about that.

‘I was preparing another case to positively reveal Lilith-nim’s identity soon, but if you do this, it will be really difficult.

Your Majesty.’

He had to think of appropriate words before meeting again in the evening.

Zion was convinced that Vanessa must have been swayed by her emotions for a moment and was now trying to judge rationally.

As the Emperor who manages the empire, she would quickly find the right path.

‘But there’s a precedent?

This is crazy!’

When I think about it, who was it that blew away the magic defense of the royal palace because she couldn’t overcome her emotions in the novel?

It was Princess Vanessa, the current Emperor of the Hispania Empire, Vanessa.

If the appearance shown in the novel is the intense emotional side that she is hiding inside, it was not difficult to predict what kind of steps she would take in the future.

“I’m going crazy.”

Zion covered his forehead and groaned, when a woman’s sweet scent wafted from behind.

“Why are you doing this again?”

“…Did you come?”

“Wasn’t the woman who left a little while ago your Emperor?

Why is a woman who should be in the Imperial Palace here?”

Lilith tilted her head as if she couldn’t understand, and Zion let out a weak smile, haha.

Then, he told Lilith, the most trustworthy woman and the hostess, about the current situation in detail.

Perhaps she could lend him some good wisdom.

“It’s a mess?”

Lilith gave a very simple review after listening to Zion’s story.

“What happens if the Emperor really comes on to you and says she’s going to marry you?”

“What do you mean?

Of course, I’ll only look at that woman and live.”

“Wow.

That’s a bit serious.”

“It’s not just about respect for the Emperor or her pride.

The nobles are trying to resolve the anxiety they feel by having the heir to the empire and Klauzen be the same person, but how can I embrace another woman in that situation?

That would be creating another spark of conflict.”

“Certainly, it would be better not to connect with the Emperor in that case.”

As he answered, Zion exclaimed, “Huh?”

Lilith was too calm.

He thought she would naturally get angry and say, ‘What kind of Emperor is that?’

“Aren’t you angry?”

“Me?

Why?”

“No, the Emperor is about to monopolize something that even Lilith-nim can’t do.”

“Can’t you stop the castle from being captured by blocking it [a metaphor for preventing something from happening]?

And there’s nothing wrong with me.

I’m not going to give the child between you and me this trivial human territory, but I’m going to give them a more wonderful place.”