Regressor Of The Fallen Family [EN]: Chapter 133

Harun was a big city, second only to the capital. It was also the kingdom’s breadbasket. Food from the Grandia Plains, the biggest farming area, was piled high in Harun, like huge mountains of grain.

The First Prince’s group wanted to attack back strongly from Harun. But they had been badly hurt in a recent battle. Now, they were stuck in Harun, and nothing could make them move.

Harun Castle was strong, and the First Prince’s soldiers inside were many. Even though the Second Prince’s side had an advantage, attacking the castle would mean losing many, many soldiers.

The important leaders on the Second Prince’s side, the Border Counts, did not want to lose so many of their own soldiers.

They worried that if they lost many soldiers attacking the castle, someone else might get all the praise for capturing the First Prince and Duke Hwan Douglas. They would have lost men for no reward.

Duke Jordan also did not want to take chances when he felt he was already winning.

Even a weak enemy can be dangerous when they are trapped.

They thought they would win soon anyway, just by waiting for the food to run out in the castle. So, there was even less reason to take chances.

So, nothing changed at the battle lines. The war slowed down, like a river that stops flowing.

Waiting was very hard for the Second Prince’s group. They were camped outside Harun Castle, surrounding it but not attacking. They were getting tired and impatient.

“Let’s forget about Harun Castle!” someone argued. “We should just go to Gran and have the crowning ceremony there! If we leave Harun alone and take all the other castles around it, what can the First Prince’s men even do?”

Many people started saying things like this. They were getting restless and wanted to do something different.

But of course, this idea was not realistic. They needed to think about if it was right to hold the ceremony without taking Harun. Also, moving their army away could be dangerous, as the enemy might attack them while they moved. And the battle lines were always changing, so it was too risky. It was just a wishful thought, not a good plan.

While the leaders on both sides were quiet, not knowing what to do next…

But then, something happened that would change everything. It started in a place no one expected, but maybe it was meant to happen all along.

“Good news, sir,” someone said. “The supply group, the one dressed as merchants led by Phillip, has reached the front lines safely.”

“Already?”

Yes. It really helped that the Second Prince’s army gave us food supplies. Because we didn’t have to carry our own food, the supply group was smaller and could move much faster.

“Even though it’s just… uh… those special weapon parts and the ‘Liberatios’ things, there should be a lot of them, right?”

“Phillip said he knows a shortcut. It’s an old trade route, used by one of the biggest merchant groups in the country.”

“Hmm. Phillip is really good. My brother found him, you know. My brother always finds the best people.”

Dwayne smiled a little, but inside he was thinking. It was good for the two brothers, the sons of their lord, to get along. But Ronian, the younger brother, seemed to admire his older brother *too* much.

It seemed like everything good that happened in their lands, Ronian would say, ‘It’s all thanks to my brother…’ It was more than just brotherly love. It was like he worshipped his older brother.

Dwayne said carefully, “Phillip is very good, that’s true. But maybe it’s not *only* because of your older brother.”

Ronian’s voice was sharper now. “You were the one who said that running our lands has become much easier because of Damian Nadal, the manager. My brother found him too.”

“When you choose people, sometimes you get lucky and find someone great, and sometimes you don’t. It’s not always about your older brother being so skilled at choosing people. Sometimes it’s just luck…”

Ronian said, his voice low. “Dwayne, are you saying you don’t think my brother is capable?”

Words cutting in like a knife. A chilling aura spreading from the red eyes.

Dwayne stroked his arm, where goosebumps were beginning to rise, and said quickly, “No, no, of course not! I just meant your older brother is very lucky! Yes, that’s it. Very lucky.”

Ronian said, still watching Dwayne closely. “…It’s just that my brother *is* good at seeing who is talented.”

Even so, there’s also some luck…

Dwayne shook off the thought that came to his mind and changed the subject quickly.

“Oh, and one more thing,” Dwayne said, changing the subject quickly. “The market in town is getting bigger. More people are coming in from outside. We might need to send more guards to the town, more than we have in other castles.”

“The new soldiers we just started recruiting are still training, right?”

“Yes. Even when they finish training, it will take time for them to be really good at their jobs.”

Ronian clicked his tongue. “Well, we can’t get any more regular soldiers right now anyway. So, we’ll have to use the volunteer guards from the town. Move them between the two towns for training. And make sure they get extra pay for it.”

“I will do so.”

Dwayne thought, “The younger master is very careful and pays attention to details.”

People said both brothers were incredibly skilled with swords and very smart.

Their lands were so lucky to have them,” Dwayne thought.

Dwayne nodded with a pleased smile.

Ronian finished with the papers on his desk and stood up quickly.

“Are you going to Hamar again?”

“Of course. My brother told me to take special care of him.”

“Do you really have to go there *every* day?”

“Everything we’re doing well in the war is because of the Yeon-sa crossbows and Liberatios. Hamar is the one making them! How can I ignore him? I need to make sure he has everything he needs and nothing is bothering him.”

Dwayne said. “You really work hard.”

“What do you mean? It’s just something I have to do.”

* * * Cough. Cough.

One dwarf wheezed, wiping sweat from his brow. “I can’t keep going like this. Hamar, you think the younger master will come again today?”

Hamar said, “He’s really tough, even tougher than his brother. He watches us all the time… Don’t relax for a second! Keep working hard and make sure everything is perfect! If something goes wrong, and he’s anything like his brother, who knows what he’ll do!”

Hamar had a story that everyone knew. Once, he had tried to cheat, and the younger master had caught him. As punishment, he was forced to work making weapons for six months. They called it his ‘Dwarf’s Holiday,’ but it was hard work, not a holiday at all. Everyone knew this story, and it made them very afraid of the younger master.

Temar scratched his goosebump-covered arm with his hooked hand and said, “Yes, I’ll watch everything very carefully…”

Suddenly, a voice said smoothly, “Oh, excuse me. I just came to see how things are going and offer my help.”

“Hup!”

“Young Master!”

The two dwarves who were talking jumped almost as high as their own height.

It was Ronian. He looked younger and gentler than Hamar remembered. But right now, to Hamar and Temar, he was the most frightening person in the world.

Hamar laughed nervously. “Ha! Ha! We were just… uh… just saying how much we want to work hard! Right, Temar?”

Temar said, “Y-yes, Young Master. We’re just working hard in the workshop and wanting to contribute to the territory, that’s all.”

An awkward exchange of glances.

After a moment of silence, Ronian chuckled softly. He reached out and patted Hamar on the shoulder, a light, almost dismissive pat.

And he uttered words that the dwarves couldn’t believe.

“The war is quiet now, so I’m giving you some time off. You’ve been working very hard,” Temar said.

“Th-thank you…” Hamar started to say.

*Thwack!*

“Ow! Why?” Hamar cried, rubbing the back of his head.

“Haha! Little Lord, no! We can’t rest now. There’s too much to do for the territory! We are fine!” Hamar said quickly.

Temar’s face showed he thought Hamar was crazy.

Hamar’s eyes widened as he saw that expression.

‘The moment you accept, that vacation will become hell. These red-eyed devils are demons, demons! Never fall for it!’

With the demon’s brother watching him with wide, innocent eyes, Hamar could only pour out his unspeakable sincerity with his eyes.

And, unfortunately, his desperate telepathy didn’t seem to reach Temar.

“You’re giving us a day off, why……”

Ha. What a frustrating fellow.

Temar seemed to have forgotten everything they had just discussed, making Hamar want to beat his chest in frustration.

“Take a few days off. I hear there are various sights and foods to see and eat at the market, so go and have a look around.”

“……Really……?”

“Of course. The first supply shipment arrived safely, and we still have plenty of time before Philip returns for the second.”

“Really, really?”

“Yes, really. Have you always been deceived?”

Er. Always by your brother.

Hamar didn’t make the foolish mistake of blurting out the truth that was rising in his throat.

Instead.

“Th, thank you! You’re a good Little Lord! Thank you!”

“I’ve been doing it since a while ago…… Fine.”

He just kept bowing, his face filled with emotion.

“Ah, but you must be accompanied by me or the knights. Hamar is already the most important talent in our territory, after all. You must take care of yourself.”

How beautifully he spoke.

Hamar started to think of this Little Lord as an angel.

Of course, Hamar didn’t immediately relax and enjoy his vacation from the very first day.

‘Still, he’s the demon’s brother, so it could be a trap.’

The lingering wariness made him cautious in his actions.

But the moment various foods sold in the market that had sprung up in the town, and beer, which was hard to find in McClean, entered his mouth, his wariness began to disappear.

By the third day.

“Little Lord! There’s a new skewer shop that’s opened up, and it’s perfect with beer. Let’s start there today!”

Hamar was now dragging Ronian from the Lord’s manor to the market every day.

He carried a homemade wooden barrel on a frame on his back.

The barrel was huge, almost as big as Hamar. It had a long straw made of dried grass.

He called this thing, which let him drink beer whenever he wanted, a ‘straw’ and used it all the time.

And Ronian, instead of expressing admiration for his unnecessarily excessive creativity, took a step back with a disgruntled expression.

“Hmm. Isn’t it too early?”

“What are you talking about? The market is naturally busiest in the morning!”

He wasn’t exactly wrong, but that was for the merchants preparing.

Ronian wore a weary expression, but Hamar didn’t care.

As he was dragged around the market stalls by Hamar, Ronian’s eyes suddenly changed slightly.

‘A Force user?’

A man who seemed to have subtly concealed his Force was passing by him.

Ronian hadn’t developed the transcendental senses of Logan, but he was still a Force Core practitioner.

The Force Core, a collection of pure energy, was particularly sensitive to foreign sensations.

If the passing peddler had been a normal Force user, he wouldn’t have caught Ronian’s attention.

‘Concealing his Force with some means and pretending to be a peddler.’

As his languid nerves tensed, things he hadn’t noticed until then began to catch his senses one by one.

‘One in the front. Two in the back.’

The ones with that foreign feeling weren’t alone.

“Wow, this meat is really delicious? What is it? Rat? No way, that squeaking rat? Ugh! You should have told me beforehand!”

“You just ate it! Pay up!”

Ronian moved a little closer to Hamar, who was arguing with the stall owner.

“Little Lord! This dwarf is saying……”

The stall owner expressed familiarity, having seen their faces quite a bit over the past few days.

The man passing behind him seemed to be a mid-level Force user.

“Ah, I saw it too. Hamar, just pay.”

“Little Lord?!”

Ronian naturally averted his gaze from the ‘enemy’ and responded calmly, moving closer to Hamar.

And, leading the man with the wronged expression, he subtly led him towards the less crowded outskirts of the market.

‘So this is really happening.’

– If we start attracting attention, keep an eye on Hamar. Rumors about Hamar might start spreading, and there might be attempts at attacks or kidnappings. So you must protect him under any circumstances.

While admiring his brother’s foresight, he didn’t forget to send the signal that had been prepared for such a situation.

A signal sent to the soldiers and knights stationed in the town.

“The outskirts have a lot of new businesses starting up. Good choice, Little Lord.”

Fortunately, Hamar, who had become a fervent believer in market food, didn’t notice anything strange and was happily munching on another skewer.

The dwarf’s face, sucking on the straw and gulping down beer, was already turning slightly red.

Just as the beaming smile was about to disappear from Hamar’s face.

‘They’ started to move.