Reset Life – Chapter 67

Chapter 67: Re.Extra: The King’s Death (3)

We slipped through a hidden entrance secretly built along the mansion’s wall. This place was designed to accommodate around thirty people. People who had been preparing inside without the servants’ knowledge welcomed us.

The mansion’s owner is a wealthy man named ‘Ogentercus Marden’. He is the one who promised us 30% of the foreign trade rights in the future in exchange for his help. He seems like the type to do anything for money, but he is a man of integrity.

“You’ve worked hard, Your Highness.”

“Thank you for the preparations, Tucker.”

“You honor me.”

He personally came out and guided my family. It was a time when all the servants would be asleep, and I could guess his meticulousness when he mentioned that he had added a little ‘seasoning’ to the dinner specifically for today’s event.

As we entered from the west side of the mansion and passed through the central hall, he spoke in a small voice.

“Your Highness, there was someone I had to receive help from for this matter.”

“Is that so? It’s your business, so I have to acknowledge it, but is he trustworthy?”

“He is a very strict person with himself, Your Highness. He is someone I can trust, and without him, this wouldn’t have been successful.”

“If you say so, then it must be true. Introduce him to me later. I would like to meet him.”

Ogentercus stopped walking and turned his gaze towards me. The moonlight faintly coming in from the window cast a shadow on his face. He bowed his head with a pleased smile on his well-fed face. He said.

“I thought you might…… so I prepared.”

“What?”

Before I could even say anything, he snapped his fingers.

Snap!

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

The lights came on. As the lights brightly illuminated the dark hall, the darkness shattered and scattered. I had to cover my eyes from the sudden light.

“Ugh! W-What is the meaning of this!”

“It’s an honor to greet you like this, Your Highness.”

An unfamiliar voice was heard. The location was definitely where Ogentercus was standing, but the voice belonged to a completely different person. I barely managed to open my eyes, which had adjusted to the light, and there I saw a white-haired man smiling as brightly as the light.

He was wearing Ogentercus’ clothes.

“Y-Y-You……!”

A man in his mid-twenties. A white-haired, white-skinned man with mystical emerald eyes bowed his head with a stylish gesture. He said.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you. I am Artshever Le Setrife, a staff member of the Empire’s Azot Conquest Force Headquarters. And the person over there is the Commander-in-Chief of the Empire’s Azot Conquest Force, Duke Ecaledon Uck Herduke of Orknesia.”

I turned my head towards the landing leading to the second floor. There, in the center of the knights lined up with their swords drawn, stood a middle-aged man.

A cry of shock escaped my lips.

“T-This is……! H-How……!”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Lymant Greg Leajotian. I truly regret meeting you in such a place.”

He spoke solemnly with a strict posture. I rolled my eyes a bit more and could see countless soldiers waiting with bows drawn on the second-floor landing.

How, how did they know?! We were as discreet as possible, making sure no information leaked!

It’s not like they followed us, they were completely prepared!

“Y-Your Highness……”

“What in the world is going on……”

Those who came with me were already in chaos. Sir Levlin and the other knights were drawing their swords and surrounding the people, but it was clear we were outnumbered.

Artshever, the brilliant strategist who had defeated the Azot Kingdom Army, slowly walked over and stood between me and Duke Ecaledon.

He adjusted his baggy clothes and said.

“Honestly, it was quite obvious. If members of the Royal Family are nowhere to be seen, they must be in the Royal Palace. Then the King would try to rescue them. Thinking that way, it led me to those who would help with the escape. From there, I used the process of elimination. There weren’t many left. However, it wasn’t easy to quietly take control of this place right after Your Highness took action. Magic is quite a convenient skill. Oh, and I’m telling you this because I thought you might be curious.”

“Such an absurd……”

I shook my head.

It’s easy to say.

It’s easy to think like Artshever. But putting it into practice and having the insight to pinpoint exactly where I would come is definitely not something an ordinary person can imitate.

He spoke with a serious expression.

“It’s a shame. I wish I could have met you on the battlefield.”

He bowed his head to me again in greeting. However, it seemed like mockery to me.

Duke Ecaledon spoke.

“I was hesitant to believe Staff Officer Setrife’s words. But I came to a conclusion. Replace the entire Eastern Army with the Southern and Northern Armies to suppress the Gray Forest, and face the Azot Kingdom with the tightly-knit Eastern Army. It was a reckless operation, but it was successful. And the result is as you see. Thus, I am now able to do what I wanted to do the most.”

“What is that?”

“That is…… Huh, it’s pointless to say it. Anyway, if it weren’t for Staff Officer Setrife, I would still be in Orknesia suppressing the Gray Forest.”

I gritted my teeth. The Empire’s staff officer, the famously competent Artshever, was the root of all this. The staff officer who appeared like a comet, helping Duke Ecaledon without anyone knowing where or what he was doing.

Thanks to him, I was now able to meet Duke Ecaledon.

Resentment. Resentment is about to explode.

Why did it have to be this way?

Why do I have to meet him here?

Why here, why do I have to be robbed of even my last hope?!

“Duke, I have a question.”

“Go ahead.”

“Did we truly commit such a grave sin that we deserve to be annihilated?”

“Azot pointed a blasphemous sword at His Majesty the Emperor.”

“The father of those who killed my sister! Daisy! Was he that precious! Was my demand so unreasonable!”

My younger sister, who was pure and lovely, who shone brightly like a dew-kissed bellflower, was married to the Empire’s 3rd Prince. And there, she was gang-raped by the five Princes.

Unable to bear the shame and humiliation, she took her own life. My sister, the lovely child who always made me happy with her wit, died like that.

Before I got angry, I made a demand first. An apology and punishment for those involved. To show the mercy of forgiveness so that Daisy’s death wouldn’t be in vain.

However…… the Empire made her death meaningless.

They threw it away as if it were worth less than worthless trash.

“It wasn’t unreasonable. Your actions were, rather, an excellent decision that would be praised by all.”

Ecaledon said solemnly and then fell silent for a moment. Then he opened his mouth again.

“But I am a subject of His Majesty the Emperor. His Majesty’s order was to conquer Azot, and I did so.”

“If you just follow orders! Is that the duty of a subject! If the lord is wrong, isn’t it the subject’s duty to correct it even at the cost of his life!”

“It’s too late.”

“What?”

Duke Ecaledon had a very tired expression on his face. He slowly raised his head and looked up at the ceiling before turning his gaze back to me. His eyes were filled with anguish and sorrow, along with deep pain. He said.

“The Empire is rotten to the core. It wasn’t like this when my ancestors helped the first Emperor and saved the continent from crisis. But the Empire is already corrupt from the top. It’s too late to fix it. It’s better to start over.”

I doubted my ears. Am I the only one who thinks that words of rebellion just came out of the mouth of the Commander-in-Chief of the Azot Conquest Force?

“To do that, I must thoroughly become His Majesty’s subordinate. I must become a being who is loyal to him with all my might. I have already shown that. My son died in this war.”

A faint murmuring voice is heard from his mouth. ‘I’m sorry, Risel.’ What does that mean?

Duke Ecaledon clenched his teeth once and regained his original solemn expression. He said.

“Those who will join me are already prepared. The soldiers here are the same. I and the Eastern Army will become the Governor’s Army of the place where the Azot Kingdom once stood. To do that, we must eradicate the Leajotian family. We cannot have a focal point for the resistance. Let me say this in advance, but I have no personal grudge against you.”

“Then you are…… planning to rebel later?”

“You can think of it that way. The reason I’m explaining this in such detail is…… because I believe there must be a justifiable reason for the King’s death. I don’t expect you to understand me, nor do I have the slightest intention of asking you to accept reality. You and those around you…… are not the kind of people who would accept death for this reason.”

Duke Ecaledon raised his hand. With that, the soldiers on the railing all began to nock their arrows. I didn’t have time to think. If this continues, everyone will die. There was only one thing I could do.

Looking at my family, my subjects, and my subordinates, all pale and frozen, I shouted.

“Everyone, run……!”

“It won’t be much comfort, but I’m sorry.”

“……Attack!”

The Duke’s arm fell, and the deadly rain of arrows began for us.

Whizz!

Arrows slicing through the air play a sharp tune. Soaring drops of blood draw musical notes in the air, and the lyrics of screams sing along the score.

Death.

“Kyaaaak!”

“Keok!”

“Heok!”

“Keok!”

Some cursed arrows pierced two people at once. Some pierced the neck, some the heart, bringing instant death, but some dug into arms and legs, and more arrows rained down on those who fell.

Drops of blood appear before my eyes.

An arrow pierces my father’s back. Pain blooms like a flower on his wrinkled face. The sound of the arrow piercing flesh and bone. The sound of a leather drum bursting.

An arrow protrudes from my mother’s mouth. The arrow pierced through her tongue. A horrifying violet of blood makes my vision swim. A scream of pain erupts from the mouth that used to offer advice. A woodwind instrument with an open neck.

Sir Levlin resists with all his might, taking the most arrows.

My wife, and my son.

I tried to protect them with my body. At least them, I tried to save them.

But when the arrow that protruded from my stomach pierced my wife’s heart, when the arrow that pierced my arm mercilessly dug into my son’s small head, I heard the scream of my soul.

“Uwaaaaaaaa-!”

Everything is red. I can’t see anything.

I’m dying.

Without doing anything.

Without saving anyone.

Without having any hope.

“Kyaaaaa-!”

I raise my body. The arrow that brought death to my wife and child leaves their bodies, still embedded in mine.

God! Lynin!

Why have you forsaken me?!

Did my hand grasp the sword? I don’t know. I just ran towards Duke Ecaledon. I will clear away anything that stands in my way.

God! If you haven’t forsaken me!

At least let me release this resentment in my heart!

“Aaaaaaaa-!”

Despair, anger, pain, and frustration become one, shaking my ears. An ice dagger carved out my heart.

Whizz!

Thud!

Several arrows pierce my body. But I kept climbing the stairs. Towards the one who will receive all my unvented resentment.

However……

“That’s as far as you go.”

Thud.

With a small sound, my time stopped.

The dagger embedded in my chest. Holding it is a white hand. The owner of the white hand is a man with green eyes and hair as white as his hand……

“Artshever……”

“I hope to see you again…… after you die.”

He pushed my body away. I was lightly pushed, but my body was thrown into the air and landed in the pool of blood created by those who couldn’t escape.

Splash! Thud!

The end of the cruel rhapsody.

“Kugh……! Kugh!”

My breathing becomes ragged. To my right are the bodies of my already dead wife and child, and to my left are the bodies of my mother and father.

I reached out my hand.

At least…… before I die…… their remaining warmth……

“Kugh……! Kugh!”

A self-deprecating laugh.

What kind of king am I if I can’t even protect my family?

“Kugh……!”

My consciousness fades. Coldness rushes in like a tidal wave.

Those who laugh at themselves…… are laughed at by the world……

Coldly……

I have so many regrets, I don’t know what to resent.

***

Imperial Year 372, September 20th.

“Huh…… Risel is doing well.”

Lymant muttered as he put down the necklace. He had just finished a magical conversation with Risel in the Imperial Capital Nek.

Before he died, he had heard the name Risel. At that time, Duke Ecaledon definitely apologized to Risel. Even though Risel couldn’t hear it at the time.

He himself was subtly working behind the scenes, cautiously changing history, but Risel changed history dramatically. Perhaps it’s a difference in perspective.

Or perhaps, it’s the limitations brought about by that position.

He grinned and uttered words to the sky that no one would hear.

“You are there. I am here. Leaving the resentment from before death there. We, who are literally living in a new era, must not repeat that past, at the very least. I think that is our duty. Risel, I hope you don’t leave any regrets.”

Risel would know too. Lymant thought that he might be the only person in the world who could understand him.

Perhaps, it’s the closest thing to the right answer.

Because there is an unspoken sense of camaraderie that only those who died and returned to life with their memories can have.

“But what did he mean by ‘see you again after you die’?”

He thought of a certain person currently in the Empire.

Artshever Le Setrife.

The one who played the biggest role in his death.

The one whose roots are unclear.

“Has it not even begun yet?”

He thought that the meeting with Risel was the true signal of the beginning. However, whenever he thought of Artshever, Lymant felt that something bigger, had not even begun.

“The one who brought about the King’s death…… what will he bring about now……”

He unconsciously muttered to himself and then shrugged. Perhaps he’s overreacting because it was the last thing he heard at the moment of his death.

“Hmm, let’s go see Daisy.”

Crown Prince Lymant, the man who would become the future king, stretched widely and went to see his younger sister, who had become even more lovely after being revived.

The sunlight warmly continued to shine on the spot where he had been.