Regressor Of The Fallen Family [EN]: Chapter 312

It’s nice to meet you. I am Ronian McLaine.

“Louisa von Aserian. The honor is mine, Count.”

Louisa smiled calmly as she greeted Ronian.

Ronian noticed her simple but elegant dress and how her smile seemed to light up her face.

“I’m so sorry I’m late. I didn’t mean to keep you waiting.”

“Don’t worry. I arrived early. But… aren’t you annoyed?”

Ronian was confused by her question. “Sorry?” he asked.

Louisa smiled slightly at Ronian’s confused look. “It might seem like a woman much older than you is trying to flirt with a young Count.”

As she spoke, Louisa picked up her teacup and casually crossed her legs. The slit in her dress shifted, showing a flash of pale thigh, and Ronian couldn’t help but glance.

“Oh, how can you say that? I’m nothing compared to a real Imperial Princess.”

Ronian’s face went bright red. He tried to look away, but Louisa’s smile became even more tempting, her red lips curved as she looked right at him.

“So, if I wasn’t an Imperial Princess, you’d agree with me then?”

It was a joke, more playful than serious.

“No, that’s not what I meant! I… I’m sorry,” Ronian stammered, waving his hands and bowing his head quickly.

Louisa covered her mouth, trying not to laugh out loud at his reaction.

“Please, forgive me,” Louisa said. “My joke went too far. You are famous as a brilliant knight, but you are much more… innocent than I expected.”

“I… I’m sorry,” Ronian repeated.

Louisa kept smiling, looking at Ronian’s still-red face. “Marriage might not be our choice alone,” she said, “but I still hope we can work well together while I am here, Count.”

“…Yes, of course,” Ronian replied quietly.

A marriage proposal as an excuse, and the princess herself coming as an envoy.

The fact that Count Ronian McLaine, the man she was supposed to marry, was made her guard, immediately started many rumors.

An Imperial Princess and the King’s brother.

A beautiful princess looking for a husband and a brilliant knight.

For now, just a bodyguard and a lady.

These descriptions sounded like characters from a love story, and people became very curious.

“Did you hear? Count Ronian has a lover he met traveling!” someone whispered.

“Really? So, he came all the way here to find her?” another replied excitedly.

“Exactly! Why else would the Imperial Princess come here herself?”

Rumors like these spread quickly through the city. People saw Ronian and Princess Louisa talking and laughing together in the palace. Soon, the rumors turned into facts.

Their wedding is soon.

The Empire and the Kingdom are becoming allies.

It was all a show, a joke to those who knew the truth.

“How did it go today?” Logan asked.

“Nothing much happened,” Ronian said, his face a little tense. “We just talked about normal things.”

Logan was surprised. “For three days in a row? She hasn’t mentioned visiting the Magic Tower or anything?”

“No, nothing.”

“Hmm… strange. She hasn’t asked you for any favors either?”

“Well, there was one thing. But it’s…” Ronian hesitated, as if just remembering.

Logan raised an eyebrow, waiting.

“…She said she wants to see us spar. You and me. She said she’s heard stories about the famous, genius brothers and wants to see our fighting skills.”

Even for the king’s brother, it was like asking royalty to put on a show.

Logan understood why Ronian was hesitant. It was the kind of thing a curious noble lady might ask.

‘What is she really planning?’ Logan wondered.

Louisa had been at the palace for only three days.

From the moment she arrived, her actions were unexpected. Her talks with Ronian were just about everyday things, which made Logan even more worried.

But he couldn’t relax because…

“Is she still trying to… flirt with you?” Logan asked.

“Yes,” Ronian sighed. “She’s getting bolder every day. It’s hard to keep myself from… agreeing with her, and then I have to push her away when we leave.”

Ronian smiled weakly and raised his hand. A faint gray glow seemed to leak from his fingers.

He had been too relaxed before meeting Louisa.

He thought he only needed to worry about people who couldn’t use Aura, like Damian and Dwayne, who weren’t strong fighters.

‘Mind magic? Maybe it works if it attacks the brain directly…’

‘But it’s impossible for mages or Aura users. It’s easier to kill them than to control someone with strong will and power.’

Clayton had said this confidently, and Ronian’s own battles had seemed to prove it. The Black Snake group’s magic didn’t affect Aura users.

Also, he had found that his own Force could easily stop it. So, he had become careless.

But Louisa changed everything. He became much more alert.

The hidden magic she used was so strong, he barely noticed it even with his special senses. The enemy was using new kinds of magic, and he had been wrong to rely on old ideas.

A worrying thought came to him.

‘She used magic even though she knew I was an Aura user. I don’t know why it was so easily stopped before, but maybe there is mind magic that works on Aura users too.’

That’s why he had warned Logan to be careful. And now…

“A weak magic is slipping into my mind without me even noticing,” Ronian explained. “Even though this is the third time, it’s still hard to feel it.”

A very subtle mind magic that could even affect Aura users.

Louisa had been secretly using magic on Ronian since their first meeting.

And that day, Ronian had argued with Logan for the first time.

‘She’s just a noble lady who doesn’t know anything. You’re worrying too much, Brother,’ he had said.

It was a foolish thing to say, especially after knowing she was a mage.

Only then had Logan seen the gray light in Ronian’s eyes, and he had quickly sent his Force into Ronian’s head.

“I know I was affected,” Ronian said, “but it’s so hard to get rid of it. How did you do it so easily, Brother? It can’t just be because you’re stronger…”

“Honestly, I don’t know,” Logan admitted.

What had happened a few days ago surprised Logan too.

He just wanted to test it because the situation seemed serious. He was even going to call Clayton, who knew about magic. But the gray magic just broke apart when Logan used his Force, even though he was only testing.

He was surprised how easily it broke. He remembered how it scattered and tried to teach the trick to Victor and Burdel. But it didn’t work well. Even Victor, who was very skilled at using Force, could only push it out with difficulty, and he was covered in sweat.

Besides, the only clue they had was…

‘Is it really true what the Black Snake group told Victor about the special color of Force?’

But all that information could be lies from the enemy to confuse them.

So, there was no time to think too much.

Logan felt his head spin. He tilted his head and thought hard.

“…Maybe it’s lucky the princess used magic,” Ronian said suddenly.

Logan frowned. “What?”

“She’s very charming. If you just talk to her, she can easily win you over. If she hadn’t used magic and we hadn’t found out, I might have really believed she was just a friendly princess.”

Logan chuckled humorlessly. He could see his brother’s face was a little red. Was it just embarrassment? Or something more?

“Ha! Good thing she tried to seduce you with magic then. Otherwise, you would have given the Imperial Princess everything!” Logan teased.

“No, Brother! Not that much!” Ronian protested, flustered.

Logan clicked his tongue, smiling. His brother’s embarrassment was funny, but it also made him a little worried.

This brother, who had even learned the Galaxy Sword’s secret skill, was stronger than his past self.

But was he mentally stronger? Stronger than when he was alone, growing up in a ruined family, becoming an Aura user?

Did he have the same edge?

‘Maybe not.’

The Ronian in front of him was still a genius, but he also seemed like a normal young man in his early twenties.

That was strangely worrying.

As a brother, Logan didn’t want Ronian to be known as the ‘Magic Sword of Grandia’ or ‘Cold Flame’. But as a leader in war, he needed the ‘Cold Flame’ more than just a clever young man.

As soon as he thought that, Logan slapped his own cheek hard.

“Idiot!”

Smack!

He had hit himself so hard in surprise that he tasted blood.

“Brother?!” Ronian gasped, eyes wide at the sudden action.

Logan waved his hand, sighing softly. “Oh, it’s nothing. Just a silly thought.”

“Huh? What do you mean?” Ronian asked, confused.

Logan just gave him a weak smile.

When Logan went back in time, he wanted to protect his family, even if he couldn’t save the country.

And he was doing it.

The biggest proof was Ronian. His brother, who in the past had carried all the burdens alone and died, now had the normal worries of a young man.

‘This is wonderful!’

But still, he felt a pang of regret.

“Tsk!”

The taste of blood reminded him of his goal. Logan strengthened his resolve.

‘Don’t get lost in the small details and forget what’s really important. Never.’

Yes.

Change always has good and bad sides.

He knew that.

He was ready for it.

He just needed to find ways to use the good changes and fix the bad ones.

‘Don’t just be happy about the good things. I need to check everything again, to see if I missed anything else.’

Logan became determined, remembering the truth he had just realized.

Ronian, not knowing what Logan was thinking, still looked worried.

“Are you really okay, Brother? Maybe you…”

“Don’t be silly,” Logan interrupted. “That woman’s magic doesn’t work on me, for some reason.”

“Yeah, but you’re acting weird.”

“I’m just thinking, thinking. Don’t worry.”

“But there’s blood on your lip…”

“It’ll heal. Forget about it.” Logan changed the subject, avoiding Ronian’s worried eyes.

“If that woman ever orders you to do something, tell me right away. She probably thinks you’re under her spell.”

“Oh? Actually… the request about sparring today, it sounded like an order. I thought she was testing if I was controlled.”

“What?”

“I mean, asking us to spar.”

“…Just for fun? That can’t be her real reason. She’s checking if you’re really under a spell.”

“…Maybe.”

“Yes. Her real plan will come out when she’s sure you’re controlled.”

“Um… so, Brother, are we really going to spar for her?”

“What? I’ll just say no…”

“But you just said we need to make her think I’m under a spell!”

“…Ha,” Logan sighed.

It looked like he would have to act like a fool after all.