Regressor Of The Fallen Family [EN]: Chapter 81

“Cut off? How can you say such a heartless thing? The family’s past mistakes are mistakes, and blood is blood. Considering the amount of support our Kairos has provided over the past decade, shouldn’t a single mistake be overlooked?”

“That’s unfortunate,” Logan replied.

“What?” Veron asked.

“It would have been believable if that mistake hadn’t been ignoring a family member who was in serious trouble,” Logan said.

Veron’s face twitched slightly at Logan’s words.

He knew from the start that his request was unreasonable. He didn’t expect to be refused so rudely by someone so much younger, especially his nephew.

Veron felt foolish, remembering how just thirty minutes ago, he thought it was lucky to approach Logan at the party instead of in a private meeting.

Of course, he was also very angry at Logan.

‘Just because he’s gained a bit of fame, the brat’s gotten cocky,’ Veron thought.

As expected, the fool was still reckless and impulsive.

But that meant he would be easier to persuade. Veron calmed himself with this thought.

“That was indeed a fatal mistake on our family’s part. Though it’s late, I formally apologize on behalf of the family,” Veron said.

“You seem to be aware that it’s late,” Logan replied.

Veron almost lost his temper again, but he couldn’t back down now. He had come prepared to face complete shame.

“If you want an apology, I’ll give you what you want. What do you desire? Isn’t it better for family to make peace with a proper apology rather than never seeing each other again?” Veron asked.

Veron presented a blank check to Logan, who continued to be difficult.

However…

“Hmm. Did you really come here to apologize? So, if I accept payment, you won’t say anything else?” Logan asked.

Veron ground his teeth without realizing it at Logan’s irritating reply.

‘Trying to trick me, are we?’ Veron thought.

Logan openly smirked as he watched Veron’s face twist in anger. He must need something, coming now with such ridiculous tricks.

“If you have something else to say besides an apology, I won’t accept the apology. Please leave,” Logan stated clearly.

But Veron’s reaction was different from what he expected.

“Help me. I’ll give you anything you want. Look to the future rather than the past mistakes,” Veron pleaded.

His head bowed deeply, his tone desperate. Veron’s complete surrender was unexpected, even for Logan.

‘Hoho?’ Logan thought.

The Kairos family he knew, especially Simon Kairos, wouldn’t do such a thing. He wasn’t the type to regret or reflect on his actions.

And everyone related to him knew that Veron Kairos, the sole heir, couldn’t go against his father.

Then…

‘This too is the will of someone above Simon Kairos,’ Logan thought.

He glanced at another important person at the party.

Duke Juan Douglas, the kingdom’s only 6-circle mage and very different from Duke Jordan Valterheim, glanced at them before turning away.

It seemed they wouldn’t step forward directly.

Logan realized that even being known as the Sword Master’s student was just enough for the dukes to cautiously see what he was like.

However, the lower ranks would be suffering from the small problems caused by the dukes.

‘Bifrost and Kairos, two of the kingdom’s three wealthiest families, are ultimately being played by the dukes’ schemes,’ Logan realized.

He keenly felt that the bad feelings between himself and the family were just a small problem compared to the real mountains he had to climb.

‘Then I should use them for now,’ Logan thought.

He needed something for the kingdom’s wealthiest tycoons, for the merchants.

‘That should definitely help Phillip,’ Logan thought.

Bifrost had practically already drawn his sword. He wouldn’t be easily swayed even with some foolish actions, but Kairos was a different story.

“Hmm. Uncle, there’s no need to be so overly polite to your nephew. Well, what’s so difficult about a small favor between blood relatives? Don’t you think?” Logan asked, his words hiding his extreme greed.

“…Thank you, nephew,” Veron said. Relief washed over his face.

However, his face gradually hardened as he moved to a private place and listened to Logan’s words.

“If you do that for me, meeting the First Prince won’t be difficult,” Logan said.

“…I understand,” Veron replied.

He had no choice but to nod. Of course, Roger Bifrost’s gaze, watching from afar, turned icy, but Logan didn’t care.

Bifrost and Kairos.

Even after those unlucky meetings, many nobles approached Logan.

However, as it was tiring to deal with so many people individually, Logan used his master as an excuse, politely declining conversations with brief greetings.

As the time of the complicated party passed.

“Everyone, please pay attention. Now, the most important event of this party will take place. Wishing for the princess’s safe growth, we will invite the important person who will name the princess. That person is… eh?” Leffman, an official of the Esperanza Duchy and holder of an official title, was startled as he read the prepared script and looked back at his lord.

The Sword Master smiled and nodded, and he called out the name in the script with a somewhat confused expression.

“…The Duke’s disciple, Young Master Logan McLaine,” Leffman announced.

‘That man’s expression is something,’ Logan thought.

Why are you doing the baby’s naming ceremony?

Count Leffman couldn’t hide his displeased expression. However, thinking that it was because of his strong loyalty to his master, Logan chuckled rather than feeling bad.

Logan managed to control his expression as he headed to the head table. But as he faced the cute baby wrapped in soft silk, staring at him with big eyes, he couldn’t help but smile again.

The baby, born with her father’s overflowing love and receiving an aura shower as soon as she was born, was full of life and looked all the more lovely.

And the moment Logan gently and carefully held the baby.

“Gyaa?”

The baby reached out her tiny hand, grabbed Logan’s finger that was wrapped around the swaddling clothes, and smiled brightly at him.

Zzzzzing!

He knew it wasn’t a meaningful action, and he thought it was just a coincidence, but he couldn’t help but feel a surge of emotion.

In that overwhelming moment, as he looked into the baby’s eyes, sparkling like brilliant starlight, all the other name candidates he had been diligently considering vanished, leaving only one.

“This child’s name is Stella. It’s an ancient word meaning star. I hope she becomes a brilliant light illuminating the night sky,” Logan announced.

“Giggle!”

The baby’s radiant smile gave the feeling that she liked her name, and Logan couldn’t help but smile brightly as well.

“…Young Master Logan McLaine has chosen the name Stella. Duke, will you accept the princess’s name?” Leffman asked.

“I accept,” The Duke replied.

“The princess’s name has been decided. Stella Esperanza. May everyone bless the newly born star of the Esperanza family!” Leffman announced.

“Waaaaah!”

Amid the pouring cheers and applause, Logan continued to make eye contact with the baby he was holding and carefully handed her to the Duchess.

The baby’s expression, waving her hand with a bright smile, blew away all the bad feelings that were still there from the Crimson Bishop’s divine power.

Stella Esperanza’s naming ceremony became an opportunity to announce throughout the kingdom how strong his relationship with the Sword Master was.

Invitations from those who wanted to meet him, backed by the reputation of a solid patron, continued endlessly from the day after the naming ceremony.

Logan was getting ready to leave the capital. ‘Winter is coming soon,’ he thought. This meant it was almost time to go back to his land and get ready for the civil war.

He looked at what was happening in the capital to make sure things were the same as he remembered *from before*. He was happy to see they were. He had also become very close to his master, which was good.

He was a little disappointed he didn’t meet the Third Prince. But finding someone talented like Aileen was even better than he had hoped for when he came to the capital.

Besides, things back home in McLaine were going amazingly well. ‘The new McLaine Plains are producing twenty times more food than the old land!’ he thought happily. ‘And we still have extra land because we don’t have enough people to work it all. Next year will be even better.’

Money was no problem either. ‘Thirty million gold is plenty,’ he reminded himself. ‘Just from Tesron and Silvan, we get over ten million in taxes. And we even lowered taxes like we promised! The people in Silvan must be very happy.’

He remembered a message about the harvest. ‘This year’s crops are enough for three or four years! Don’t sell it? Okay, I understand. We have enough money anyway.’

All these good changes in McLaine made Logan feel confident. ‘Everything is going as planned,’ he thought. ‘I should go back, finish getting ready, and start the big plan.’

Logan was thinking about all of this when suddenly he heard a voice.

“Are you going back already?”

Logan jumped, surprised. He turned around quickly. “Master!”

His master smiled. “Yes, Logan. The naming ceremony was a success, thanks to you. My sister, Stella’s mother, is very thankful.”

“Oh, it was nothing, Master,” Logan said, waving his hand. “But… shouldn’t you be with Stella? Is she alright?” He sounded worried.

Stella was a very special baby. She had even pushed away the holy power of a bishop, a very important priest! This was a secret Logan couldn’t tell his master, just like he couldn’t tell him about remembering things from *before*. He was very worried about the baby, so he really meant it when he asked about her.

His master saw how worried Logan was and smiled kindly. “Stella is fine. She’s already had enough Aura Shower. Too much of that can actually hurt her. Now,” he said, changing the subject, “I’m here to train my hardworking student again.”

“Oh, Master,” Logan said, feeling a little embarrassed. “That’s very kind of you, but like I said, I really need to go back to my land. There’s also the Bifrost issue…”

“It won’t take that long.”

“Yes?”

The training so far had ended every time when he reached the point of exhaustion, so Logan asked back, looking puzzled.

“You’ve worked hard to keep up with the excessive training. Now that the basics are in place, I’ll teach you another useful technique.”

“Yes?!”

“You have more amazing visions and you’re still surprised. Tsk tsk.”

“Master. That’s…”

The Sword Master slightly raised the corner of his mouth at his disciple’s reaction but continued speaking in a still serious voice.

“That ancient vision. I once belittled it, but if used properly, it may be better than my secret technique. But don’t forget. What’s more important than that?”

“……The basics.”

“Yes. I am now going to pass on to you a secret technique that can maximize those basics. Follow me.”

It was a contradictory statement, but it was an offer he couldn’t refuse.

The Sword Master walked into the training hall. Dust motes danced in the shafts of sunlight that slanted through the high windows, illuminating the worn wooden floor. With a smooth, *whispering* sound, he drew his sword. The polished steel gleamed in the light.

“The foundation of the martial arts I have established throughout my life is to restrict the enemy’s movements and maximize my own.”

With the explanation, a powerful aura burst from the Sword Master, like a wave of intense heat. At the same time, a huge pressure pressed down on the entire training hall, making the air feel heavy and thick.

“Ultimately, it is about dominating space on the battlefield. This Gravity Sword you have learned is the first technique that embodies that idea. Can you handle it?”

‘Not at all.’

Logan couldn’t say the words out loud. The pressure was so strong that just gritting his teeth and standing there made cold sweat run down his face. His muscles trembled, and his breath came in short gasps.

Seeing that, his master laughed lightly and withdrew his power.

“Huk!”

Logan staggered, his legs unsteady. He hadn’t been directly attacked, but he felt dizzy for a moment, as if he’d been spun around too many times. The room swam before his eyes.

He was surprised once again by the capabilities of those called superhumans.

“Yes. It’s quite a decent technique, enough for me to be proud of myself. But the vision you have is superior to my secret technique as a means of attack. So, there’s no need to teach you my sword technique secrets that lead to heavily pressing down, cutting off sound, and catching up with lightning.”

“Then…?”

“Don’t be so openly disappointed and keep your eyes wide open. This is even more wonderful.”

At those words, Logan focused intently and looked at his master, but his master’s figure, which had been standing still, became blurred in an instant, like a heat haze on a summer day.

‘Hmm?’

In the blink of an eye, Logan was bewildered. The transparent figure of his master disappeared, and before he knew it, a cold sensation touched the back of his neck, raising goosebumps on his skin.

‘Gasp?!’

Logan was startled and looked back to see his master standing in a dignified posture, slightly raising his sword, a faint smile playing on his lips.

“Huh…….”

“Did you see it?”

“……Not at all.”

“Yes. I guess not. What are your impressions of experiencing it?”

Logan couldn’t readily answer that question. It was definitely a great movement, and the process was not visible at all. It was like watching a magic trick, where you see the result but not how it was done.

But.

‘Is this that great?’

Was it truly so amazing that the Sword Master, famous as the kingdom’s best swordsman, had more pride in it than in his own sword technique secrets? Unlike with the Gravity Sword, it wasn’t felt so dramatically. There was no immense pressure, no feeling of being overwhelmed.

After all, if it was a superhuman like the Sword Master, it was normal to have a speed that he couldn’t react to even if he rushed at him head-on. It was like comparing a race car to a regular horse – the difference was expected.

As if seeing through his thoughts, his master smiled and opened his mouth again.

“What is the basis of all martial arts?”

“It’s the lower body and footwork.”

Logan’s answer came out immediately, but his expression was bitter. He knew the answer, but he also knew there was more to it than that.

And the Sword Master also knew the reason.

“But that is a logic that only applies to those who cannot use Force or whose level is low. Is that what you want to say?”

Logan couldn’t bring himself to answer yes and hesitated. He didn’t want to sound disrespectful, but he couldn’t deny the truth either.

“Then, the reason why I am rated higher than other Aura users in the kingdom, Jordan, Luther, or Wicken… Would you understand if I said that the reason is not swordsmanship but this footwork?”

“……?!”

“As such, this Shadow of the Ghost is an excellent technique no less than any sword technique secret.”

‘Shadow of the Ghost……’

It was a gloomy name that didn’t suit the Sword Master’s reputation at all, but his master’s tone was full of strong pride. It was clear he believed in this technique with all his heart.

“You struggled in the fight with that guy Plantz, right? If you had learned this technique before that, that wouldn’t have happened.”

When a little bit of stimulation that could never be ignored was added to that.

“Do you want to learn it?”

“Of course!”

Flames flared up again in Logan’s red eyes. He was eager to learn this new technique and become stronger.