Regressor Of The Fallen Family [EN]: Chapter 199

“Not a chance!” Tris yelled.

His sword moved so fast it was a blur. Suddenly, dust swirled in the middle of the courtyard, like a small storm.

But people watching were not looking at the whirlwind. They were looking at what was inside the dust.

Slowly, the dust settled. Everyone gasped at once.

“Oh no…” someone whispered.

“It can’t be!” another voice cried.

Jerome was still on the ground. His sword lay beside him. He wasn’t moving.

Worse, a dark red pool was spreading from his head.

Those who looked closely saw the blood coming from Jerome’s right eye.

Right then, Tris roared, “How dare you do this!” His voice boomed like thunder. He ran at Logan, the two superhumans right behind him, fast as lightning.

Jerome was hurt and on the ground. But Logan was still standing, even though his side was bleeding. Tris and the others ran towards Logan.

The color drained from Logan’s face, leaving it as white as bone as he felt their heavy anger coming towards him.

“Not so fast!!”

A giant roared, bursting forth at a similar moment, but he appeared far too slow. Logan gritted his teeth, adjusting the angle of his sword.

Had he underestimated the Emperor, the pride of the Empire, too greatly?

‘Even if I die, I’ll take one of them with me!’

Fueled by this desperate hope, he forcibly summoned his fighting spirit.

But his depleted strength could not easily overcome its limits.

Wham!

Luther Kyle was effortlessly knocked away by Tris’s attack, and the two superhumans easily subdued the exhausted Logan, seizing his limbs and slamming him to the ground.

‘Damn it, damn it all. Was this how it ended? So futilely?’

He bit his lip until it bled, but then a sharp blow struck his head.

Thud.

“Ugh!”

Tris pressed down on Logan’s head with his foot.

He quietly leveled his sword.

“You hurt what belongs to the Empire. You die.”

The cold voice pierced Logan’s ears, just as a calm voice, laced with a subtle yet commanding presence, drew the attention of everyone present.

Drawn by an unseen force, the eyes of everyone in the space turned toward the dais from which the voice had come.

Tris, seeing the Emperor’s slightly furrowed brow, immediately dropped to his knees.

“Your Majesty, this man dared to harm an asset of the Empire before your very eyes. He must be killed to uphold Your Majesty’s authority and that of the Empire.”

“Are you punishing him because you don’t like how my test went? Are you making fun of me?”

Surprisingly, the Emperor’s cold voice was directed at Tris.

Tris’s face turned ashen as he looked up in alarm, then slammed his forehead back onto the floor.

“N-no, absolutely not! Your Majesty, I only wish to serve the Empire…….”

“I am the Empire, and the Empire is me. And you defy my orders while claiming to serve me?”

The tone was devoid of emotion.

Tris trembled at those words and began to repeatedly slam his head against the floor of the grand hall.

Thud. Thud.

Not even bothering to protect himself with force, the blood from his broken forehead soaked his face.

“I am sorry, Your Majesty. I failed to understand your will and dared to overstep my bounds.”

Tris raised his head, his face covered in blood, and shouted.

“I beg for punishment!”

“I beg for punishment!”

The superhumans who had subdued Logan also prostrated themselves in unison.

Luther Kyle, who had been about to charge forward in a frenzy, froze, and Logan wore a dazed expression.

The Emperor’s calm tone continued.

“Hmm. Still, you realized your error in time. Considering your lifelong contributions to the Empire, I have decided on your punishment.”

Logan regained a bit of his senses at the Emperor’s gentle words.

‘He’s just putting on a show.’

The thought naturally occurred to Logan, but the Emperor’s next words were entirely different from what he expected.

“Tris, I strip you of your position as commander of the Imperial Knights and demote your rank. Lunus, Fabian, the same goes for you both.”

The punishment was far too severe for an unintentional act of defiance, especially one that could be seen as being for the Emperor’s benefit.

‘What is this?’

Logan looked around, wondering if he was the only one who found this strange.

“Thank you for your generous judgment!”

Instead, the superhumans bowed their heads again, prostrating themselves before the Emperor.

They showed no sign of discontent.

At least, that was the impression one got from their faces.

‘Even if the monarch’s authority is strong, to treat superhumans like this…….’

Logan watched the situation with a dumbfounded expression, and then the Emperor’s gaze turned to him.

The light in those dark eyes, which had been strangely captivating from the start, seemed that the light was visible again.

“It is unfortunate, but such accidents can happen in the duels of warriors. I will not hold you accountable for this. Rather, I am impressed by the valor of the young hero Logan McLaine, who possesses strength beyond the ordinary. Therefore, I declare his victory and wish to bestow upon him a fitting reward.”

“Ooh!”

As if to erase the disgraceful conduct of the superhumans from earlier, the gathered officials cheered with unusual enthusiasm.

And then, the Emperor said, “Logan McLaine, young hero of Grandia, swear loyalty to me. If you do, I promise you power and wealth beyond anything you could imagine, far greater than anything you could obtain in that small kingdom.”

Even Logan was speechless for a moment at the Emperor’s unexpected words, stunned into silence.

– I will give you more than you can imagine.

The offer itself was already beyond imagination.

Logan could not help but be tempted.

The Emperor would not utter empty words in front of so many subjects.

‘If I nod here, the danger to me and my family will disappear.’

He would achieve his greatest goal since returning to the past: the safety of his family.

But…….’The moment I become naturalized, I will have to stand at the forefront of the Empire’s conquest. To prove my worth. I would have to strike my homeland…….’

It was best to abandon any hope that a war of conquest would not occur.

Even without bothering to confirm the rumors he had heard in his past life, the Emperor’s dark eyes were full of ambition.

Although it was directed at him now, it was the gaze of someone who had never yielded anything, someone who had never needed to, and his nature was fully apparent in his eyes.

‘He’s not someone who listens to others.’

And the bubbling turmoil in his own heart was also a problem.

The moment he imagined meekly bowing his head for his family, the surging memories screamed at him to reject the easy choice.

– Why not adapt and live there? What’s the difference between the tyranny of the corrupt kingdom nobles and the oppression of the Empire?

Logan remembered the words of Louis Heion, a leader from his past life. *“I’ll give you a clear answer,”* Louis had said, his voice strong even in memory. *“It’s the difference between those who see people as people and those who see them as objects.”* Logan felt the truth of those words again, just as he had when Louis declared, *“I will die to live as a person!”*

Louis Heion had been a close friend of the Sword Master and the leader of the group fighting for Grandia’s freedom in Logan’s past life. Louis believed strongly in treating everyone as people, not objects. Logan, back then, was too focused on revenge to really listen, but many of his friends agreed with Louis and died for this belief.

*Cash…* Logan remembered Cash’s laugh, loud and bright even when things were bad. *Lyman…* Lyman, who always had a plan, even when it seemed impossible. *Trey…* Dozens of names of friends who had died for their beliefs filled his mind. They had all wanted to be seen as people, not just tools of the Empire.

These were people who refused to be treated as less important by the Empire, even if they had special powers like using Force or Mana. The Empire might have given them special jobs because of their powers, but they would still be seen as lower than citizens of the Empire.

He hadn’t been able to be a good friend to them back then. He was too consumed by anger and grief. But now, he clearly remembered his friends and their last moments.

He couldn’t forget the deep anger from his past life. This anger, caused by the war and what the Empire had done, made it impossible for him to take the easy path, even if it led to his own ruin.

‘I can protect my family and my household with my own strength!’

So.

“I sincerely thank you for the generous offer, Your Majesty. But as a Grandia person to the bone, I cannot serve a foreign monarch. I would be grateful if you would understand with a generous heart.”

A gasp seemed to burst out from somewhere around him.

The Emperor’s complexion also hardened slightly.

“Hmm. I can give you land as big as your entire Kingdom of Grandia,” the Emperor said, his voice echoing in the silent hall. “And more riches than your kingdom has ever seen. Is this truly your answer, knowing all this?”

A sharp intake of breath swept through the room. People gasped and whispered. It was clear to everyone that the Emperor’s offer was incredibly generous and completely unexpected.

But Logan’s face did not waver.

“I am sorry, Your Majesty. But I will never forget the grace you have bestowed upon me.”

He simply knelt down on one knee and bowed his head politely.

He thought that if the Emperor had any dignity, he would not hold on any longer.

“Hmm… Heh heh. Hahahaha!” The Emperor chuckled, then laughed louder. “Rejected? Rejected! This is… interesting. Yes,” he said, his eyes fixed on Logan, “that’s exactly why I want you even more.”

What?

“Well, I’ve seen a wonderful sight, so that’s enough for today. You should stay in the Imperial Palace a little longer. If you experience the Empire a little more and know what you can enjoy, your mind will change as well.”

Murmur murmur.

The Emperor’s proposal was not over yet.

He felt something ominous, but he couldn’t say no here.

“……Thank you for your grace.”

“Good. Summon the bishop to heal Jerome and the guest! And enjoy the start of the festival! Let my guest know the prosperity of the Empire!”

“I will obey your command!”

With a thunderous shout, the turmoil in the hall came to an end.

“I am Plentas,” the woman said, her voice soft but clear. “I am a priest of Ageron.” She was an older woman, with pale skin, and she bowed slightly to Logan. “It is an honor to meet you.”

She wore simple robes for a priest of Ageron, one of the most important gods, the god of wealth and trade. But the tall, pointed hat on her head clearly showed she was a high-ranking priest.

“No. It is an honor for me to meet the Bishop. I am sorry to trouble you with such a minor injury.”

“You don’t need to worry,” Bishop Plentas said, smiling kindly. Priests often called people “brother” or “sister” as a sign of their faith. “The Emperor has already rewarded you greatly.” Her smile was warm and friendly, like she truly meant it.

It would have cost a considerable price to summon a bishop of the Nine Gods, not just a high-ranking priest, for a simple wound treatment, but Logan didn’t need to worry about that.

‘Calling the bishop is not because of me.’

So, he was naturally curious about the result.

“How is Lord Jerome, Bishop?”

“Ah, Lord Jerome’s right eye, which he lost in the duel, is unfortunately beyond recovery.”

“What?!”

Feigning surprise.

Plentas gave a bitter smile at that.

“Aura Users are usually resistant to divine power because of their powerful energy, but Lord Jerome’s injury was strangely unhealing. It must be all my fault.”

Words that made his fist clench involuntarily.

*Flame Split.* Logan thought of the special move he had used. He now knew for sure that his final strike, using the secret power to split energy, had badly hurt Jerome, who was destined to become a dangerous enemy in the future.

Logan cheered inwardly, but sighed outwardly.

“……That’s unfortunate. So that’s why your expression, Bishop…….”

“His Majesty didn’t seem to mind much, but Lord Jerome……. Hmm, this is not for me to say. Let me see your wounds, brother.”

“Ah, my injuries are not that serious…….”

“No. You must be careful with injuries caused by Aura,” she said. “Aura is a kind of magical energy. Even if your wounds seem small now, Aura injuries can cause problems later.”

The pale-faced bishop said so and immediately began to pray.

“I, a humble servant, ask the Nine Gods who look down upon the world…….”

At the same time, a more fundamental and subtle energy, felt after a long time, stirred around him.

The surging energy soon permeated Logan’s entire body.

It was a golden divine power, slightly different from the white light he had seen at Stella’s coming-of-age ceremony, but the effect was certain.

Not only were the minor injuries healed as if they had been washed away in an instant, but even the slight internal injuries he had sustained when he was suppressed were instantly healed.

“Wow. That’s indeed amazing divine power, Bishop.”

As Logan continued to admire, Bishop Plentas tilted her head at him.

“I haven’t seen many Aura-induced injuries, but this is the first time I’ve seen them disappear so easily. It seems to be thanks to your strong constitution, brother.”

It was a natural assumption for the bishop, who did not know that Logan had already pushed out the remaining Aura.

Logan simply smiled and bowed his head to the bishop.

“Thank you for your grace.”

“No. As I said, it was a good deal.”

Plentas shook her head with a smile.

Then, as if she suddenly remembered something, she asked abruptly.

“Oh, by the way,” Bishop Plentas said, changing the subject slightly. “I’ve been hearing stories from the church area in Grandia.”

“Stories?” Logan asked, curious.

“Yes,” she said, leaning in a little. “There’s a rumor going around that many babies are being born in Grandia who are not able to use magic from the gods. Have you heard anything about this?”

Huh?

What is this all about?