Reader’S Regeneration Life [EN]: Chapter 64

64―――――

The villain’s role isn’t for the bad guys, but for the smart ones.

“The survival of this market, and your future.

Would that be easier to understand?”

“…Pardon?”

Konean tilted his head at Sion’s words, as if to say, ‘What is he talking about?’

He had been enjoying the show, acting like he was about to buy something any minute, but now he was saying that his purpose wasn’t to buy, but to sell, and that what he was selling was the survival of this market and his future.

“Young Lord Sion,

What on earth are you talking about?”

“It’s a very simple story.

Who is managing this market right now?”

“…I am.”

“Right.

You’re managing it.

Providing the space, bringing in the slave traders, prettily packaging the goods, and presenting them to the buyers.

But what if, just what if, someone with impure intentions attacked this place?

Could you withstand it?”

Konean couldn’t understand at all.

The entrance where the slaves come in is through a waterway, making infiltration difficult, and a large-scale invasion even more so.

Besides, if an enemy were to come in that way, it would mean the fall of the territory.

And if he was talking about the entrance where he and Sion came in, that was strange too.

It was located inside the lord’s castle, the safest place in the territory, so who could possibly invade?

“That’s an unnecessary worry.

This territory isn’t adjacent to any hostile forces, and it’s in the heart of the kingdom.

An enemy invasion?

That’s absurd.”

“They say the most frightening enemy isn’t the one outside, but the one inside.”

At those words, Konean finally understood what Sion was saying.

He looked at Sion with a ‘could it be?’ expression, and the beautiful young man’s smirk seemed to say, ‘You’re probably right about what you’re thinking.’

“…Are you threatening me right now?”

“Threatening?

That’s a bit much.

I’m suggesting a collaboration.”

“Bringing up a non-existent external threat and offering protection.

Isn’t that just a fancy way of asking for tribute?”

“Oh.

You’re quick on the uptake.”

“If that’s not called a threat, then what is?”

“Want me to tell you what a real threat is?”

The way he tapped the table with his fingers was as graceful as playing a musical instrument.

Sion continued, his voice suggesting he was thoroughly enjoying this conversation.

“I could tell the royal palace everything that happened today.”

“What!”

The moment the story of the royal palace came out of Sion’s mouth, Konean lost his composure.

Anything but the royal palace.

If this got to the royal palace, his title and territory would be confiscated in an instant, and he would be imprisoned like Sepher Kashgar for violating the national law.

And that’s not all.

The wealth and honor he had built up would be lost in an instant, and he would fall into ruin.

This place’s affairs being reported to the royal palace meant the end of everything.

But Konean also had a brain.

He was a man who could at least counterattack.

“You’re talking nonsense.

Would you be safe either?”

“Hmm?”

“Didn’t you say earlier that you discussed the existence of this place with Count Kashgar but failed to report it to the royal family?

That means you, Young Lord Sion, were also disobeying the royal family’s wishes!”

“Would it be that way?”

“It would!

No matter what excuse you make, even if you say you were offering yourself as bait to catch a fish, you still disobeyed the royal family’s wishes!

Clearly, you’ll be torn to shreds by those who want to undermine you!”

At Konean’s outcry, Sion stroked his chin and seemed to be deep in thought.

Then Konean thought, ‘He’s just an ignorant brat who only knows one thing!’ and continued.

“I don’t know if you want to gain merit or if you really want to handle money.

But your method is wrong, Young Lord Sion.

You must know that the higher you are, the easier it is to fall.

Your move was wrong.

You may be able to threaten me, but it won’t be easy for you to escape all responsibility either.”

“…”

“There will be those who think that a war hero of the kingdom didn’t need to do something like this.

From that perspective, your actions are highly suspicious.

You heard the information but didn’t report it to the royal palace, and you deliberately came here to look around the market?

In my opinion, it seems more like you were very interested in the other races’ slaves and became greedy, and then you tried to swallow this place whole, which was reckless.”

Sion still didn’t answer.

He was just pressing his temples, reacting as if something wasn’t going well and he was worried.

Thanks to that, Konean, who was even more excited, was about to open his mouth to drive the Klausen’s son into a corner, when.

“Are you excited?”

“…Huh?”

“Are you overjoyed?

Because you’re cornering the son of the great Klausen family like this.

Seeing him come in without thinking deeply and threatening to take everything.”

“What are you saying…”

“Let’s see why you’re so confident even in this situation.

The fact that I came here secretly from the royal palace means that others may not see my intentions as pure.

Well, it’s only natural if you think about it.

Because I’m not a margrave [a noble title, equivalent to a marquis], but just the son of that family, acting on my own judgment.

It’ll probably look like I’m mocking the royal family’s wishes.

But, here’s a question?”

Sion chuckled, propped his chin up, and looked at the man in front of him.

“What if the royal family had already received a report in advance?

Or what if they agreed to match my story that they had received a report?”

“Wh-What?”

“Think carefully.

What kind of family is the Klausen Margraviate [the territory ruled by a margrave]?

For all these long years, they have steadfastly been the shield of Hispania [likely a kingdom or region within the story’s world], guarding the border.

At the same time, they are the most trustworthy vassals who always pledge allegiance to the royal family.

Then, where would be the most harmed if Klausen were to falter?”

The answer was already obvious.

The family that had been defending against the attacks of Nudia [likely a hostile nation or group], the family that had always been loyal to the royal family.

If such a place were to falter, where would be the first place to react?

This was so obvious that even a moron could figure it out.

“Of course, it’s the royal family.

The Hispania royal family would be the first to suffer.

Imagine that the family that led the victory in this war and solidified the loyalty and harmony of the nobles at the party is faltering.

Would they like that?

Do you think they’ll rush in and say, ‘Let’s kill the Klausen family!’ like they did with Kashgar?”

“Th-That’s…”

Konean hesitated to give an answer.

Kashgar had too much clear evidence and witnesses from the start, so he couldn’t avoid it.

But the current Sion Klausen could avoid the situation with just a little effort.

No, he could even shift the blame to someone else.

Sion looked at the man with a sneer and continued.

“You’ve been tormenting only female slaves so much that your brain has rotted and turned into a fossil.

The political structure of the royal palace and its central region isn’t that simple.

There are times when you have to cover up someone’s faults completely, and other times when you have to magnify someone’s faults more than ever.

Even a twenty-year-old kid knows that, but the esteemed Baron doesn’t.

Have you been pushed out of the power game so much that your brain has hardened in that direction?”

It was clear mockery, but Konean couldn’t say anything rashly.

Because the answer came out when he thought about himself first.

Konean’s barony and Klausen Margraviate.

It was obvious which side the royal family would blame all the sins on.

“Take a good look at the kingdom’s situation.

Even now, one of the great noble families, Kashgar, led a rebellion, causing a mess, and if the Klausen Margraviate is seen faltering, the inside and outside of the kingdom will be so happy that they’ll applaud.

Right?”

“Kuh…”

In fact, Kashgar never attempted a rebellion.

A truth that everyone doesn’t know and only Sion knows.

There was just a man who was crazy about other races’ slaves who fell for his show.

But that’s no longer important.

The competition between Prince Erader and Princess Vanessa had already begun, and from now on, the royal palace would be caught up in even more enjoyable and exciting political strife than before.

And in that cesspool, Sion was confident that he could survive better than anyone else.

The one who survives in the mud isn’t the one who suppresses the opponent logically with coherent words.

The one who survives is the one who incites, creates an atmosphere, and emphasizes profits and losses.

‘I’m not a hero.’

If he could suppress the opponent with just a few simple puns, he would do so.

Even if it was cowardly, old-fashioned, or forced, it didn’t matter.

After all, in the world, a verbal fight isn’t won by the logical one, but by the one with a loud voice and a good ability to force things.

Why would smart guys avoid stubborn guys for no reason?

From that perspective, Konean was completely defeated by Sion in both logic and stubbornness.

“Judging whose words are more right or wrong is a loss in this world, in itself.

No logic, evidence, or explanation is needed.

The logic of the political arena is to thoroughly consider whether it’s right or wrong in terms of profit and loss, and to save or destroy the opponent.”

The royal family would be unknowingly tightening up, feeling uneasy that one of the pillars that supported the royal family was trying to stab them in the heart.

In that situation, if a certain baron said, ‘Actually, Sion Klausen had strange thoughts!’, would they be happy and immediately arrest him?

Or would they try to cover it up?

‘There are more than one or two strange things about it.

In the first place, Sepher didn’t share any stories about me and the slave market, but if Baron Konean says, ‘Young Lord Sion was sticking with Sepher!’, the suspicious eyes would be on him, not me, right?’

Rather, it would be a better picture if Sion said, ‘When I came to Baron Konean’s barony, the baron said he would show me a good sight and led me to a strange place.

When I belatedly realized it was a slave market and said I would report it to the royal family, he tried to frame me with strange charges and intimidate me!’

“Let’s think carefully.

What I want isn’t for this world to collapse completely.

I just want to have a delicious meal together?

Honestly, it’s a good look, right?

If you think that the Klausen Margraviate is backing you, the baron will feel more at ease, right?”

“…”

Sion, who had been pressing hard until just now, stepped back slightly and threw a carrot, and Baron Konean immediately bit it and looked like he was worried.

If he went out strongly like this, he would definitely be the one to break, and if that happened, it would be better not to do anything at all.

On the other hand?

Although he would have to give a considerable amount of money to the Klausen side, which had no connection to this world and didn’t really provide anything, he could rather use their name.

For a mere baron, the Klausen backing was a bigger shield than he imagined.

‘I can see what you’re thinking, you old man.’

Sion already knew Konean’s inner thoughts.

He was clearly scheming to somehow use the name of Klausen.

But he had already thought of countermeasures for that.

To that man, he may just look like a twenty-year-old kid.

But the core of him was a devoted reader who knew everything about how to make things bigger and more exciting in the future.

Meanwhile, Baron Konean thought that he should do as that man wanted for now, but he also thought that he should at least prevent the initiative from being completely handed over in this place.

‘I need to lower the amount or get a promise that they won’t touch the goods at all.

To do that.’

As expected, it would be better to pressure them with force.

The baron also knew that Sion Klausen had a mage and a high-ranking knight by his side.

Opponents whose victory or defeat could not be guaranteed even if all the knights and soldiers of the territory were to attack.

But he had already taken measures against those two strong enemies.

‘By now, the drug’s effects should be kicking in.’

He secretly mixed a colorless and odorless liquid into their water and had them drink it.

It wasn’t a deadly poison, but a mild drug that made it a little difficult to control their bodies.

He had personally confirmed the report that the two women had drunk it.

The signal he exchanged with a passing man with a gesture was the clear evidence.

‘I can’t completely subdue the two women, but I have to make this man aware that if he keeps pushing this side, he can rush in here with a dying spirit.’

He didn’t even want to take away the initiative completely.

The same goes for equal conditions.

Baron Konean wanted to stand in a position where at least his opinion could be expressed.

“…Shall we take a walk for a moment?”

“As you wish.”

Baron Konean first got up and moved to the first tent, where Sion’s two guards were.

He should refrain from doing stupid things that openly threaten, but he had to give off a moderate sense of crisis.

That way, the young man wouldn’t be able to openly ignore him.

‘When I open the tent, I’ll find the guards in a daze, unable to come to their senses.

And a series of groups surrounding them.

I’ll coax this man appropriately around them and finish the deal with minimal bleeding.

This is the best I can do.’

Thinking so, the baron slowly took a deep breath, thinking of Sion’s guards, who would be struggling to control their bodies under the influence of the drug.

A moderate sense of crisis, but an atmosphere that would never be hostile.

He muttered inwardly like that, and it was the moment he was about to open the tent door.

“What?”

…Huh?

Baron Konean’s two mouths opened and a sigh was let out.

A woman sitting half-leaning on the bed, showing off her elegant figure with her legs crossed.

It was her, who was noble, very seductive, and angelicly beautiful, yet looking at him with a devilish and murderous look.

“…Are you already here?

That’s good timing.

I wanted to ask what this is.”

Lilith shook the glass with the contents emptied and said to Baron Konean.

And in front of her, all the soldiers that Baron Konean had secretly prepared were trembling with their heads on the ground.

―――――――Author’s Note―――――――

Thank you for the patronage coupon, gkdgh!

I think I’ll need some time since I’ve used up 6 chapters of my reserves for the continuous chapters…

Could you please bear with me for 2 chapters a day for now?

Other readers, please wait a little longer and I’ll see you again with continuous chapters…

So (please recommend).

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