Reader’S Regeneration Life [EN]: Chapter 47

47

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A prime example of a great deal.

“Your Majesty,

It has been reported that Count Sepher Kaschgar has been arrested.”

Edgar IV nodded, his face as cold as ice, at the Chief Secretary’s words.

Then, he picked up the cup of now-cold tea that sat before him.

“You were right about everything.”

At Edgar IV’s words, a bewitching young woman bowed her head.

When she raised her head again, a pointed ear, partially hidden by her hair, was revealed.

“Helen Haines,

The owner of the Haines Trading Company.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“Let me ask you something.

Why, after helping Kaschgar plot such a terrible scheme, did you decide to inform me of all the details on the very day of the operation?”

It was strange enough from the King’s perspective, and from the perspective of others as well.

She could have reported it as soon as she was forced to participate, or even during the preparation, so why reveal the truth on the day the incident occurred?

“I was under surveillance until recently.

Although I am the owner of a rather large trading company, true power ultimately comes from ‘force.’

Kaschgar’s side suppressed me with force, so even I couldn’t do anything properly.”

“Hmm.”

“Only on the last day did the surveillance become a little lax, and I came to Your Majesty to somehow inform you of the facts before the operation began.

But… but I didn’t expect him to notice that and start the plan so early…”

If her hands and feet were tightly bound and a knife was held to her neck, Edgar IV had nothing more to say.

It was commendable that she had discovered this gap and taken the risk to come.

“Helen Haines,

You have suffered.

But I won’t offer words of gratitude.”

“…”

“In any case, you and your trading company were involved in this matter.

Although it was under duress, it cannot be said that there is no fault at all.”

“I am prepared for it.”

“…Still, I cannot ignore the merit of risking your life to inform me.

Therefore, I do not intend to hold you and your trading company accountable for this matter any further.

Do you consider my decision unfair?”

“How could I ever think that?

Living in Hispania [the kingdom] and being forced to participate in such a terrible event is simply deplorable.”

‘Then that’s a relief.’

Edgar IV muttered and put down his teacup.

“Terrible people were attached to the Kaschgar County [the Count’s domain].

To think they planned to attack the nobles instead of the royal family, creating rifts and gradually collapsing the kingdom from within.”

“…What happened to the attackers?”

“They caught one fairy [referring to Lucia, a fairy-like being] like you and killed the rest.

Goodness.

When did Raido, that old man, take in such a terrifying young man as his disciple?”

It was Lucia and Kim Yu-hyun, whom Sion had sent to the palace in advance.

And Kim Yu-hyun, having been forewarned, was already firmly guarding the path to the party hall.

Not just to hold them back, but an incredible powerhouse capable of cutting off their ankles and making them crawl.

“Helen Haines,

I would like to ask if you know why the Kaschgar County was involved in this, or for what reason they joined the conspiracy of unidentified forces trying to divide the kingdom.”

“…I do not know exactly.”

“I see.”

“Instead, whenever I visited the Kaschgar County, I was certain that he was trying to hide something.”

She did not directly mention the slaves.

She only gave a comprehensive and vague answer: ‘He is hiding something.’

But that was enough.

Helen knew very well that too much detailed information could raise suspicion with the King, who had already decided to eliminate Kaschgar.

“Anyway, you have suffered.

I will provide a room in the palace for today, so stay there for a while.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty.”

Helen immediately understood Edgar IV’s intention to protect her from possible assassins.

Just as she rose from her seat and was about to step back, Edgar IV slowly opened his mouth.

“Helen Haines,

May I ask you one more thing?”

“Please do.”

“You could have just kept silent, so why did you decide to reveal this?”

To that question, Helen was about to say it was because of her revenge, but decided against it.

Revealing her past to others was something she absolutely did not want to do.

Instead, she decided to give a gift to the man who had made a pretty good deal for her.

“I heard about Duke Sion Claussen.”

“Hmm?”

“The speech he gave at the party two days ago.

I wondered what he was doing, praising the countless people who fought alongside the hero and struggled in the distance to protect this country and its people.

Although I only do business, I didn’t want to see this country, which they are struggling to protect, fall apart.”

Edgar IV nodded at Helen’s words.

At the same time, he couldn’t help but sigh.

The news that Sepher Kaschgar’s vile scheme had revealed the truth that Sion Claussen had been trying to hide came to mind again.

‘He cannot manipulate mana at all.’

The device that detonated the mana bomb attached to the castle wall worked on the principle that the possessor injected mana to activate it.

If someone else had accompanied Sepher, they would have been suspected as well, but Sion Claussen, who cannot manipulate mana at all, would never have thought of using that device.

‘Rather, I am worried that he was injured by the aftermath of the explosion.’

Duke Lichten Claussen had been a loyal subject who had silently guarded his back for decades.

And his son, Sion Claussen, had achieved incredible feats at the young age of just becoming an adult.

He thought he would be a strong ally to the next ruler who would succeed him, but he almost lost the war hero at the party held to celebrate him.

“Your Majesty.

Duke Sion Claussen has arrived.”

At the Chief Secretary’s words, Edgar IV told him to let him in.

Soon after, Sion entered, looking very haggard, and he couldn’t help but click his tongue.

Seeing him in such a mess, caught in the explosion due to Sepher’s wicked scheme, he couldn’t help but feel sorry for him.

“Are you alright, Duke Sion?”

“It’s nothing.

More than that, I apologize for causing concern.

I just thought it was Count Sepher’s kindness and got into the carriage, but suddenly I got caught up in it…”

Originally, Sion should have been subject to investigation as well.

Whether voluntarily or involuntarily, he was in the carriage with Sepher, and according to his words, Sion might have handed over the detonator.

But anyone could see that the possibility was so low that it was almost zero.

In the first place, he had not come to the royal palace for several years and was only showing his face now.

In addition, Sion had fought against Nudia [a hostile nation] on the front lines for Hispania and was praised as a war hero, so why would he suddenly commit such a terrible act of attacking the royal palace?

Rather, it was natural that the Kaschgar County, which had testimonies that it was hiding something suspicious, was hundreds of millions of times more suspicious.

“Cough, cough!

Ah, I’m sorry.”

The appearance that was usually only beautiful was suddenly transformed into a youth with a sickly beauty.

The sight of him stimulating the sympathy of the viewers and the maternal instincts of the women made it impossible for anyone to dare to name him as a suspect in this case.

“Father!”

Suddenly, the door opened, and Vanessa rushed in.

She had walked very quickly, her face flushed red and constantly breathing heavily.

“It is only polite to observe the minimum etiquette, Princess Vanessa.”

“Ah, I’m sorry.

I didn’t mean to…”

Then, after confirming that Sion was present, Vanessa breathed a sigh of relief inwardly.

She had been heartbroken when she heard the news that Sion Claussen had been swept away in the aftermath of the explosion that had collapsed the castle walls.

What if he got hurt?

Vanessa, who was internally spewing out all sorts of curses at Sepher Kaschgar, the son of a bitch who wasn’t even worth chewing on, ran at full speed after hearing that Sion had entered the palace and was heading to the King’s office.

“Duke Sion Claussen.

Are you alright…?”

Vanessa tried her best to act as if nothing was wrong, afraid that her true feelings would be revealed.

In response, Sion gave a rather labored smile and bowed his head.

“I’m not sure, Princess.”

Ah.

Vanessa couldn’t help but sigh at Sion’s answer.

The young man, who had been so confident until recently, now looked as if he would collapse at any moment.

It was partly due to being caught in the aftermath of the explosion, but also due to his weakness, which was suddenly revealed due to Sepher’s machinations.

‘To think that he can’t manipulate mana at all.

Sion Claussen, of all people, has such a terrible trait…’

The princess wanted to ask if the heavens were truly heartless, and if there was a god, wasn’t it too much.

Not just any ordinary commoner or nobleman in the countryside, but the likely heir to the Claussen County, who is responsible for the frontier, has no mana sensitivity at all.

In a world where almost everyone can use basic mana, not being able to manipulate mana was a fatal weakness, a difficulty, and a clear limitation.

However, Sion Claussen was not a knight or a mage who needed to use mana, so if he wanted to, it was not difficult to hide it.

He had gone to war and made achievements without any problems, even though he could not use mana, and had he not done everything a nobleman should do?

But that damn, son of a bitch who wasn’t even worth chewing on, Sepher Kaschgar, revealed it to the whole world.

Now, everyone in Hispania, as well as those in other countries, knew that Sion Claussen of the Claussen County could never manipulate mana.

“Duke Sion.”

“Yes, Princess.”

“…Hang in there.”

“Pardon?”

Sion, who had been surprised by the princess’s words for a moment, soon smiled and bowed his head.

As if apologizing for being involved in an unsavory incident, and for other things.

At that reaction, Vanessa wanted to tell him not to bow his head.

Rather, she was the one who should apologize, and the entire kingdom.

“Your Majesty.

Is this woman the owner of the Haines Trading Company that the knights were talking about?”

While Vanessa was having a moment of apology alone, Sion looked at Helen, who was sitting in front of him, and asked.

It was as if he was meeting someone he had only heard rumors about for the first time.

Thanks to that, Helen Haines had to swallow hard.

‘A man even more extreme than me.’

She had been preparing for the death of one man.

She was building a trading company, gaining the trust of various nobles, and slowly creating a snare to tie up the Kaschgar County later.

But that man, that noble young man named Sion Claussen, had finished everything in just a few days.

As if he had everything in the palm of his hand, watching and then executing the plan, he was confident in everything, things flowed according to his predictions, and he brazenly deceived people.

‘Don’t give too much detailed information.’

‘Wouldn’t that make you suspicious in reverse?’

‘Originally, in the power game, those who know too much and speak in detail are much more suspected than those who are vague.

I have to pretend to know moderately and not know moderately so that the other person will move in the way they want.

This is not an ‘investigation’ to find the real culprit, but just a ‘huge show’ to eliminate the troublemaker.

Keep that in mind.’

Wasn’t he said to be only a young man of twenty years old?

But the words and actions he took were very similar to those who had experienced the whole world.

If not, it was as if he knew the ending of everything from the beginning and was changing it as he pleased, but Helen dismissed it as impossible.

“Ugh…”

Meanwhile, Sion frowned slightly and fiddled with his arm, as if he was uncomfortable.

Every time he did, Vanessa let out a sigh, and Edgar IV let out a groan.

‘Oh, it hurts.

Hey, look at me―.

Look at meeeeee―.’

In fact, there was nothing wrong with his body.

It would have been different if he had been caught in the explosion without knowing anything, but he already knew the flow of the incident, so his body was prepared, and he had even received a shield from Lilith, albeit a weak one.

He had just fallen to the floor and deliberately rolled around a bit.

But to others, he just looked like an unfortunate young man who had gone through all sorts of hardships and had no choice but to reveal his weaknesses by the worst villain.

‘Looks are deceiving, but you can’t help but be deceived, so that’s why it’s called deception.’

In addition, the fact that he was a son of the Claussen County, a war hero, and someone who had prayed for harmony and the well-being of the kingdom two days ago while commemorating the souls of the fallen.

At this point, anyone who said, ‘Could Sion Claussen have been plotting such a thing…’ would be immediately classified as a traitor and have their head blown off.

‘With this, Kaschgar is out.

And…’

There was another reason why Sion had to blow up Kaschgar like this.

There was someone with whom the great noble family of Kaschgar had been quite friendly and expanding exchanges with for several years.

That person was Erader Ragon Hispania.

The first prince of Hispania and the most likely man to be the next king.