Regressor Of The Fallen Family [EN]: Chapter 20

Logan felt a change inside him, a powerful shift happening right now.

It was like a new center of energy was forming within him, spinning around the first one.

He knew instantly that the two centers were deeply connected.

The energy, which used to flow from one center in his body, now flowed through two.

This made the energy much stronger, twice as strong as before.

Whirr!

His whole body trembled from the sudden surge of power. He could feel that the energy had grown in quality as well.

It felt thicker and more solid, not just more in amount, but better in quality. This made him sure it would be much more effective.

Furthermore, reaching the 2-star rank meant that he had the basics to learn the next secret technique of the Vision.

‘Iron Cleaver, Metal Severing Strike….’

Just thinking about the power the first form had shown, the power of the second form would more than exceed his expectations.

If he could master that secret technique before the war, he wouldn’t be afraid of even a high-ranking knight.

His elevated consciousness naturally brought the Vision to mind, and the exploration that began then continued relentlessly until the newly brightened morning sun stimulated his closed eyes.

“Hmm… it’s not easy, after all.”

Unlike his words filled with regret, Logan’s expression was not so dark.

It took him three months to learn the first form, Water Cleaver.

If he worked diligently, it would be more than possible before the war.

Logan was enjoying the new morning sunshine with a proud heart when someone knocked on the door before he could properly enjoy the tranquility.

“Come in.”

“Young master, did you have a good night?”

The person who came in with a grin was Rick.

Every time I see that smile on his face…

“Something troublesome must have happened again, right?”

“Hey, troublesome things? Why would I be smiling if that were the case?”

“That’s the face you make when only I’m in trouble and you’re having fun, isn’t it?”

“Ha, haha. Young master, your jokes….”

“So, nothing’s wrong? I’m going to train?”

“The Lord wants to have a meal together! With all the family members!”

As Logan got up and headed for the door, Rick, who had been smiling awkwardly, hurriedly shouted.

Logan then grabbed the fellow’s cheek mercilessly.

“You know, something troublesome! Where did this rascal learn to scheme?”

“Ouch! It really hurts! What’s so troublesome about eating with family! It’s the first time we’ve all eaten together like this since you ran away from home a few years ago!”

“You little rascal, that’s only in normal family relationships….”

“You always had breakfast together until a few years ago!”

“……Huh?”

Come to think of it, that was true.

It was so long ago for him that he had forgotten.

‘Right. There was a time like that.’

He was momentarily stunned by a few memories flashing through his mind, but Rick didn’t give him time to be sentimental.

“He told me to come quickly. Skip training if you’re training, and wake you up even if you’re sleeping.”

“……Now? Why?”

“What are you talking about! Today is the young master’s birthday! His twentieth!”

“……Ah!”

“What do you mean, ‘Ah!’ You have to go quickly!”

At Rick’s urging, Logan sighed deeply.

Among the noble families of the Empire, some hold grand parties to celebrate their direct descendants becoming adults, but that was not common in the Grandia Kingdom, especially the McLaine family.

It was more of a custom to have family members, who were usually apart, gather for a meal and celebrate.

Of course, even that was too much of a hassle for Logan.

‘I should be able to ignore these trivial customs.’

It was strange to think that the birthday boy, who was the main character of this occasion, would think that way, but anyone could understand if they saw the current atmosphere.

Except for Logan and Ronian’s greetings to their father and stepmother before the meal….

“You’re an adult now, too.”

“Yes.”

That was all the conversation that came up during the meal.

‘Let’s just eat quickly and get up.’

Logan swallowed the dessert on his plate in one gulp.

“I enjoyed the meal. Then I’ll….”

“Sit down.”

“……Yes.”

However, even escaping this uncomfortable situation was not easy.

Seeing Logan’s irritated expression, Patrick, who had finished his meal by swallowing his dessert in one gulp as well, opened his mouth.

“Logan, you are the eldest son of this McLaine family.”

‘What is he trying to say?’

Logan’s jaw tightened, and a muscle jumped in his cheek as a bad feeling washed over him, and as expected, a really uncomfortable topic came up.

“Originally, since it is the day you come of age, we should be talking about the succession of the family.”

“Honey!”

“……But.”

Patrick, calming his surprised wife with a wave of his hand, continued calmly.

“The actions you have taken so far have been very unbecoming of a family successor.”

Merian’s face finally brightened at those words, but Patrick wasn’t finished.

“However! After listening to the opinions of the knights recently, I heard that you are showing a lot of changes. So, as promised before, I will give you a one-year grace period. Your position in the family will be determined by what you show afterwards.”

“Honey! That’s!”

“Stop it. It doesn’t mean I won’t give Ronian a chance.”

She couldn’t bring herself to say more, but Merian’s face was still flushed as if she had a lot more to say.

Beside her, Ronian was just forcing himself to swallow his food, not knowing whether he was chewing meat or rubber.

In that suffocating situation, Logan suddenly dropped a bomb.

“Is there any need to wait until a year from now?”

“What?”

“Just give the family heir position to Ronian. I’m not interested.”

The family’s crisis was ongoing, though others didn’t know it.

Even if they get through this crisis, another desperate crisis will come within 10 years.

‘I don’t have time to worry about succession when there’s no guarantee that I’ll survive even if I focus only on that.’

Logan spoke again with a firm will.

“Ronian, who has a natural talent for martial arts, is more suited to be the heir of a knight family.”

It was an excuse, but it was also sincere in a way.

But his father seemed to think a little differently.

His brow furrowed, his lips trembled, and eventually his face turned red and a roar burst out.

“The McLaine family’s heir! Do you think this proud position is a joke! Who do you think you are to talk about giving it away!”

The thunderous roar filled the mansion.

His father, Patrick McLaine, glared menacingly at his eldest son as if he had been insulted like no other in the world.

And at that moment, when everyone was frozen in that unexpected situation.

Bang!

Thud! Thud!

“L, Lord! The Tesron barony has declared war!”

A variable that no one had expected shattered the ice-like atmosphere at once.

[I will avenge the grudge of my unjustly deceased ancestor, Cale Tesron, on the McLaine family!]

A magical communication that came out of nowhere turned the McLaine family upside down.

An emergency was declared and a family meeting was called.

It was an event from two generations ago, a whopping 60 years ago.

From the opinion that they should investigate the cause of why the old grudge from the time when the McLaine family’s decline began suddenly popped up and send an envoy, to the opinion that war preparations should come first.

With opinions divided within the family, it was decided to determine the response direction in a general assembly.

Amidst everyone’s bewilderment, Logan couldn’t hide his own bewilderment in a different sense.

‘Why already?!’

It was almost two months earlier than in his previous life’s memories.

‘I thought I still had time.’

He had no idea what variable had brought the territory war forward, but there was no time to just worry.

“Young master! It’s time for the meeting!”

“I know.”

If he had a little more time and mastered the second form of the Divine Sword’s Vision, he would have been more confident, but he wasn’t too anxious now.

‘It doesn’t matter when it is, it’s enough to win. My strength is enough now.’

A variable had suddenly appeared, but his confidence did not waver as he had been preparing steadily.

Of course, others thought differently.

“The Tesron barony has half again as many knights in their knight order as we do. No matter how much the Lord is here, the chances of winning….”

“They have over a thousand regular troops they can mobilize. That’s more than double our family’s! We have to ask for peace……”

The total strength of knights and regular troops was about twice as large.

Even considering the existence of High Knight Patrick McLaine, it was objectively a clear disadvantage.

That’s why the conference hall was bound to be a mess.

“According to custom, they will go to war a week after the declaration of war. It’s a three-day journey from the enemy’s castle to our castle……”

“Since we have fewer troops, we should choose a defensive strategy……”

“We must issue a conscription order first. Gather as many troops as possible, set up defenses, and patrol……”

“No. We have to send an envoy first……”

Chatter chatter.

The grand hall was filled with a commotion that was not like a meeting of a noble family.

Patrick, who had been frowning and watching this mess, stomped his foot for a moment.

Thud!

“Everyone be quiet!”

A thunderous voice that overwhelmed everyone forcibly silenced the noisy hall.

“Even if the authority of the royal family is not what it used to be, they are the ones who suddenly declared war without the permission of the royal family. It’s clear that they’re determined to make something happen, so are those who talk about envoys and reconciliation even thinking before they open their mouths?”

A cold gaze swept through the grand hall, and those who had uttered words such as envoys and reconciliation all closed their mouths.

The lord, who had gathered the family’s opinions into war with a single scolding, shouted in succession.

“Everyone prepare for war! And tell me the strategy for victory! No other opinions will be tolerated!”

Thanks to him, the direction was decided in an instant, and the opinions of the vassals were quickly organized.

“Conscription will take three days……”

“The soldiers’ weapons and equipment are……”

“The knight order’s training is……”

As preparations and organization for the war were being decided, opinions related to Logan began to emerge.

“Are the young masters going to war too?”

It was a natural story since the brothers were already Force users.

“Come to think of it, I heard that the eldest young master is training with the knight order.”

“Are the young masters joining the knight order?”

The McLaine family was a long-standing knight family, even though it had fallen.

From their point of view, it was natural for the family’s direct descendants who had come of age to participate in the battle.

At those words, Patrick nodded without hesitation.

“My sons will also go to war. Especially Logan, who is now an adult, must play a role befitting him.”

Logan also did not object, of course, and with that, Logan’s expedition was confirmed.

However, the direction was a bit of a problem.

“I heard that the eldest young master’s mercenary corps is doing cavalry training, is that correct?”

“That’s right.”

“A properly trained cavalryman can be treated as the strength of more than three infantrymen. Can the young master’s mercenaries play that role?”

“More than enough.”

At Dwayne’s words, Logan responded with a confident smile.

But very few really believed those words.

“Still, it’s better than nothing.”

“Will the young master’s trained group be strong enough to fight?”

“No way. They’re just low-level mercenaries at best, it’ll be a relief if they don’t all run away.”

Logan’s reputation extended to the mercenary corps, and those who had never seen their training were all spouting negative opinions.

Logan did not waver and pushed his point.

“Father. My mercenaries will play the role of more than ten, not three, infantrymen. As we have been training together for several months, please allow us to operate separately as a special unit.”

“……Are you saying you won’t be under the family’s command?”

“Moving separately will rather help the war effort.”

“Well, it wouldn’t be bad. I allow it.”

Permission was granted too easily.

Perhaps it was because they did not evaluate the mercenary corps as a real force.

Whatever the reason, it was a good thing for Logan.

“Thank you.”

But not everything went as he wanted.

“However, you will be assigned a separate commander and you will go to war with the knight order.”

“……Yes?”