Reader’S Regeneration Life [EN]: Chapter 48

48

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A prime example of a great deal.

The royal palace walls crumbled, and a bloody storm raged within the palace.

Of course, those who shed the blood were all enemies harboring treacherous thoughts, but the fact that blood flowed within the palace itself was already a major problem.

All schedules were immediately suspended, and the royal palace was in a state of extreme emergency.

Searches and inspections continued everywhere, and the residents of the royal palace expressed their anger by cursing the unknown forces and the Kashgar County family who had ruined this joyous day.

The military was immediately mobilized, and nobles eager to prove their loyalty to the royal family declared their intention to march directly into Kashgar County territory if ordered.

The Kashgar County territory, with its head captured and quickly isolated, insisted on its innocence, but it was already too late for the truth to matter.

In this time of national turmoil, they simply needed a scapegoat to take all the blame, be torn apart by anger, and unite public opinion.

Moreover, it wasn’t as if Kashgar was truly innocent. While they were being pointed to as the prime suspects in this incident, no one was listening to them.

Rather, it was too easy of a target, yet capturing it would be a golden opportunity to show loyalty to the royal family and demonstrate their family’s power in the kingdom, so the nobles were all clamoring to invade Kashgar immediately.

‘…It’s sickening, but this is the way of power, so there’s nothing I can do.’

Vanessa thought she needed to get used to all of this as soon as possible.

In fact, she herself had not been very ambitious for the position of the next monarch.

Although she was only one year apart from Prince Erader, he was definitely the firstborn, and there was nothing particularly lacking or wrong with him.

Unless there was a fatal weakness, being the ‘firstborn’ was almost absolute in establishing legitimacy, so it was natural for Vanessa to lose interest in the throne.

However, her thoughts had completely changed a little while ago.

‘Princess.

I hope you are not too disappointed.’

‘What do you mean, Lord Zion?’

‘Politics is about blooming flowers in a mud pit.

It means that the most important place is bound to be the dirtiest.’

‘…’

‘If today’s events were shocking, you can change them, Princess.’

If someone else had said that, she would have been angry immediately.

Was he trying to drag her and her brother into that dirty fight? Did he know how strong the aftermath would be if a power struggle started in the royal family?

But the one who said that was none other than Zion Claussen.

‘Lord Zion.

Such words…’

‘If I had been able to manipulate mana, and if Sefer’s false testimony had caused more confusion, I too would have been imprisoned in the royal palace’s underground prison instead of here.’

‘…’

‘I dare to say, please find a way to survive.’

He himself was almost seriously injured, almost went through hardships, and yet he says such things.

Vanessa couldn’t help but nod at his concern for the princess herself, and his concern for the kingdom.

And Vanessa finally went to Edgar IV and brought up these words.

“What did you just say?”

“I am asking if we should continue the party again from tomorrow.”

“…”

Edgar IV wore an expression that was half dumbfounded and half surprised.

Vanessa did bicker with Erader, but she never openly created a structure to compete with him.

Clearly the second in line to the throne.

The king had overlooked it, thinking that she knew her position well.

But suddenly, that princess comes to him and says to continue the party.

“I must ask the reason.”

“These disgraceful events of today will be conveyed not only throughout the kingdom but also to neighboring countries. Hispania will be the place that faced the worst situation of a royal palace attack during a festive celebration of victory.”

“That’s right.”

“They will laugh. All those who antagonize Hispania. They will shrink back. All those who follow Hispania.

We cannot just stand by and watch that. We cannot just tremble at what has already happened. We must let them know that even though this has happened, Hispania can continue its daily life as if nothing happened.”

At Vanessa’s strong request, Edgar IV silently looked at his daughter.

The princess’s words were not entirely wrong, but they were not entirely right either.

“Unknown forces may attack the royal palace again. Even if that doesn’t happen, they can still cause incidents and accidents inside the royal palace.”

“There are royal knights, wizards, and the royal palace defense forces. We can trust and entrust them. The enemies who attacked the royal palace also suffered a major failure, so they will be cautious for a while.”

“…”

“Your Majesty.

We cannot show Hispania cowering in fear like this. No, we must hold an even bigger party. Didn’t we perfectly block the enemy’s perfect surprise attack!”

Vanessa’s words were all correct.

Even though it was such a thoroughly planned surprise attack, Hispania responded very appropriately.

They even succeeded in killing all but one of the elves who appeared to be the leader of the attackers.

After a moment of silence, Edgar IV asked a question that he had wanted to ask someday, and also hoped that the day would never come.

“Vanessa Ringle Hispania. I ask. Are you trying to fight with your brother?”

“…”

Vanessa was silent, but a negative answer did not flow out.

That alone was enough of an answer.

Edgar IV let out a heavy sigh.

It was inevitable because it was a royal family in the heart of power, but an event that he never wanted to happen could have occurred.

“Kashgar has been quite close to Erader for several years, you said.”

“…”

“Are you aiming for that part and now trying to compete with Erader?”

“No.”

This time, the answer flowed out immediately.

Edgar IV stared at his daughter with the meaning of ‘Then?’, but Vanessa did not give the next answer in the end.

“…I understand your intentions well. I will think about it, so go back now.”

“Have a peaceful night.”

Vanessa, who took her leave, left the king’s office and moved to her room.

In the princess’s mind, Zion’s words kept lingering.

‘The greatest punishment for refusing to participate in politics is to be ruled by someone inferior to oneself, they say. At least I hope that someone more outstanding than me will be my ruler.’

It was Zion who said that, with a faint smile on his lips as he looked at her.

Vanessa could only avert her gaze from that figure and nod slightly.

‘…I too would like to rule this country as a monarch if I had a vassal like you by my side.’

―

Did they leave?

They left, right?

They left.

Only when all the royal knights who had been escorting him to his villa had returned did Zion finally let out a sigh of relief.

When the fact that he had no mana was revealed, the number of royal knights attached to him for the sake of escort increased twofold.

As many as one squad, eight royal knights, were escorting one nobleman.

It was enough for someone to argue that it was excessive, but Zion himself was the protagonist of this party and a war hero, and he was also involved in an unsavory incident and ‘injured’, so the royal family directly approved it, dismissing the complaints.

‘Ugh, deliberately limping slightly is also a very difficult thing to do.’

He didn’t suffer any injuries from the beginning.

His leg wasn’t injured, his cough was just a deliberate cough, and the occasional groans were just a ploy to focus the attention of those around him on himself.

‘Lucia stayed in the royal palace, and Kim Yoo-hyun is naturally with her as Lucia’s escort, so he’s there too.’

Since he had changed the flow of the story, no one knows what will happen next.

Originally, the royal palace raid by radical elves would no longer occur after today’s royal palace raid, but they knew that it had failed, so they could target the royal palace again.

‘Of course, it’s no longer my business, though.’

He helped as much as he needed to. He won’t help any more than this.

He sent Kashgar, who would later become Erader’s biggest supporter, away forever, and he also helped maintain the public opinion that would be torn apart by the royal palace raid.

Helen Heiness, the hidden dagger of the royal palace who continued to support the radical elves and kept looking for opportunities, has now become a comrade on the same boat as him, whether she likes it or not.

Above all, with Kim Yoo-hyun in the royal palace, there will be no major threats, and if things go well, Princess Vanessa and Kim Yoo-hyun could naturally end up together.

‘I just need to return to Claussen and prepare for the next thing.’

Jimmy Faker’s wounds are starting to heal.

Before it’s too late, he must meet Trishia Faker, the Four Wings, and keep her by his side.

“Lord, have you arrived?”

As if they had heard the news, the knights and soldiers who had followed him from Claussen were gathered in one place.

Very stern expressions, faces full of an aura that they were somehow deeply angry.

It seemed that they were very unhappy that their little lord had suffered hardships.

“Has Rishikida arrived?”

“Yes. By your order, she returned to the villa earlier and has been waiting for you.”

At the knight’s answer, Zion patted him on the shoulder as a sign of hard work.

Then, the knights and soldiers silently stared at his back as he entered the villa.

Knights, even soldiers, are capable of basic mana manipulation.

It’s very slight, but still a world of difference from not being able to use it at all.

But that young man walking in front of them cannot manipulate even a single grain of mana.

Everyday life is not a problem, but that young man is the son of the Count of Claussen.

A nobleman destined to fight another war with Nudia someday.

Just a while ago, he went to the front line and fought, and rescued a soldier through hellish flames.

But, it turns out that he cannot manipulate mana at all.

Yet he went to battle, yet he took risks, yet he still smiles as if nothing happened and acts as if nothing happened.

‘How much must he be burning inside.’

The knights and soldiers of Claussen who were gathered there earnestly hoped that that young man would not despair or be disappointed in himself.

In fact, Zion was dancing with his body swaying, far from despair.

‘Come to think of it, that digestive medicine was definitely carbonated water. If I do this well, I think I can come up with a way to make a decent fortune again…’

Zion muttered inwardly and entered the room.

But a moment later, someone knocked on the door.

“…Lord.”

“Rishi?”

He expected Rishikida to come.

The problem is that she’s using the title ‘Lord’ instead of ‘Master’ in a dying voice.

“Come in.”

At Zion’s permission, Rishikida stepped inside.

It was clear from every action that she had no strength.

Rishikida approached Zion with weak steps.

“Rishi.”

“…Lord.”

“Why are you so weak? Were you upset that I told you to go back first?”

“No.”

“Then. Why are you doing this?”

When he asked the reason, Rishikida hesitated for a moment before slowly opening her mouth.

“Are you going to abandon me?”

“…What?”

An unexpected question flew in.

What kind of development is this suddenly?

Zion tried to calm his confused head.

“Rishi. What are you talking about?”

“Didn’t you say it was just a simple trick for me? But, but…”

A trembling body and an even more trembling voice.

Rishikida stared at Zion with her eyes shaking finely.

“I almost, I almost had a big problem. Really… really… The moment you suddenly collapsed in the explosion, unable to protect you… I thought the world was collapsing.”

“Ah.”

Zion remembered that he hadn’t told Rishikida about that part.

He thought that being slightly caught up in the explosion would create a synergy effect in the subsequent plan and acting, so he made the decision and prepared for it, but he had kept Rishikida at a distance on purpose.

‘No, if Rishi, who noticed, ran to protect me, the picture would be strange.’

A war hero who cannot manipulate mana, standing up strong even after suffering an unexpected accident!

This was the new image of ‘Zion Claussen’ that Zion wanted.

He absolutely wanted to refuse the picture of his escort knight being told to ‘Get down, you son of a bitch!’

“Rishi. Don’t worry. I’m perfectly fine.”

“Yes, I know. I know, but… I was so scared. That moment… I barely met someone called Master, and I was wondering if I would lose that person in vain…”

At those words, Zion sighed inwardly.

It seemed that the trauma of being abandoned by her former master was triggered in a strange place.

He had no intention of doing so at all, but it seemed that she thought she had been abandoned again after seeing him do something without saying anything.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry. I’m sorry…”

She’s a cool and aloof female knight on the outside, but her inside is so fragile that it seems like she’ll break if you just push her.

This kind of character is really hard to handle.

With the feeling of wanting to grab his forehead, Zion grabbed her shoulders.

‘Damn… Hey, think carefully. This is really important.’

What does this character, this Rishikida, want right now?

Just a verbal promise?

Of course not.

Clearly something more than that.

A proof shown not in words but in body will be needed.

‘There’s a reason to be so sure. A reason to trust her completely!’

This novel was not for all ages.

Then if you ask what Kim Yoo-hyun was doing.

Zion wanted to answer that he must have had really unique tastes.

“Rishikida Am Schell.”

“Yes, yes. Lord.”

“Why do you keep calling me that? I told you it’s okay to call me Master.”

“That’s… That’s…”

“Are you doing that because you’re afraid that I abandoned you?”

“…”

“Come closer.”

At Zion’s command, Rishikida hesitated but slowly moved her steps.

“Closer.”

Two or three more steps.

“Even closer.”

One more step.

“Stand there.”

Only then did Rishikida stop walking.

After confirming that Zion was sitting right in front of her, she didn’t know what to do.

Meanwhile, the slightly hardened-faced pretty boy stood up from his seat.

‘…Thank you, author. To be honest, I was nervous about what to do if Rishi was taller than me.’

He discovered one more good thing about Zion Claussen.

“I clearly said. I have so much to do that I regret every single person.”

“Y, you clearly said that.”

“I said that, but it seems you were still doubting me.”

“Ah, no! That’s definitely not it! That’s…”

“Shut up.”

A rough man’s hand roughly grabbed the female knight’s face.

Rishikida, who was startled, looked at her master with her eyes shaking non-stop.

It was like a puppy clinging tightly to its master’s legs, as if it would be abandoned at any moment.

“Since you say you can’t believe a promise made in words, there’s nothing I can do.”

“Ah, no. Master. I, I…”

Squeeze―.

The young man, as if telling her to stop talking, put strength into the hand holding the female knight’s chin again.

That man, her master, leaned his face slightly and slowly opened his mouth.

“I’ll show you directly. How I think of you. Whether I will abandon you or not.”

―――――――Author’s words―――――――

Ahahaha.

I’ll use the cliffhanger technique just once.

Hodadadak!