Reset Life – Chapter 89

Chapter 89: You, Become a Big Shot (6)

The content was so unfamiliar and dreamlike.

It was spoken like a prophecy, but it was an experience, a time yet to come, and something that had already passed.

Listening to him calmly talk about what he had experienced or what had happened, I was sometimes surprised, sometimes convinced, and sometimes puzzled.

At some point, Duke Ecoshian had opened up his entire bag of stories, up to his death.

I could understand him. He had met someone in the same situation as himself for the first time in his life.

How many words must have accumulated over those 20 years? I decided to listen to the story of my colleague, who was detached from time, until the very end. Even if it became a rather long story.

Because, I would have done the same if I were in the same situation.

“I realized that a person can’t take anything with them when they die. I also realized that money and power can’t be taken with you when you die. You know me, don’t you? How I lived.”

I nodded. He was the one who made me realize that if an untouchable person becomes corrupt, it is difficult to punish them.

Duke Ecoshian said with a regretful expression.

“When I had a knife stuck in my chest and wondered how many more breaths I could take, a thought suddenly occurred to me. What have I accomplished? What have I done? Can I find meaning in my death?”

He looked down at his hands and trembled.

In those hands, trying to grasp the empty air, there was nothing.

His eyes were as empty as that void.

An endless murky darkness lingered there.

“The answer was negative. What I had achieved was a mountain of brown gold that was useless at the moment of my death, sucking the blood and sweat of countless people. What I had done was just respond to my desires, becoming a puppet to them, and like a hungry ghost trying to fill an insatiable hunger, I scraped together all kinds of money in every way possible. When I faced death like that……”

He dropped his hands.

With a face etched with fatigue and emptiness, like irremovable scars, he looked up at the purple sky where the sun was already setting.

His wrinkled lips parted, and a trembling voice leaked out.

“I felt no sense of accomplishment.”

If you could weigh a voice, his voice would point to an infinite zero.

“My life was meaningless.”

If a voice had brightness, his voice would create an endless darkness.

He clenched both hands tightly.

“To realize the meaning of life only after death, it’s too late, way too late. But I got a new chance. I thought I was dreaming or going crazy. But I wasn’t dreaming, and I wasn’t crazy. Ah, maybe it was a dream. At the moment of death, life is just a dream. Do you understand?”

His expression.

A powerless smile.

I felt a chillingly perfect sense of familiarity.

“I understand……”

“Thank you. Yes. Life is a long dream. At the moment of death, you wake up from that dream. At the moment of eternal sleep, a person wakes up from the dream. I don’t know what exists beyond that moment. But I wanted to smile when I woke up from the dream.”

“Ah……”

There was no selfishness in his expression as he said that. Like the expression of a devout believer praying to God, there was a longing for his inner self, not expecting anything in return.

“Life is all futile. In the end, what a person leaves behind when they die is not gold but memories. There is no life more valuable than having people who think of me remember me in a good light. Otherwise, I wouldn’t be able to smile when I wake up from the long dream. Before I died, I couldn’t even be that kind of existence to my family. It was regrettable.”

“So…… Restart?”

“That’s right. If I could be a part of their smiles when they wake up from their dreams, how wonderful would that be? Fortunately, I had the ability to do that. I decided to make the most of it.”

I nodded. The realization at the time of death was so great, becoming a grudge and a lingering attachment, that he chose this method.

Duke Ecoshian died differently than I did. And what he felt was different too. So, the actions he is taking now will be different from mine. He has no intention of intervening in history.

“It may sound funny, but I find more satisfaction in reading a misspelled letter from a child than I did in watching my competitors fall after stabbing them in the back before I died. Compared to the time when I was constantly worried about being assassinated, now I have no regrets even if I die. I am infinitely happy with the fact that I will have no regrets in this life.”

He had a joyful expression on his face.

He poured the now cold tea from the teapot into a cup.

“My story has gotten too long. It’s a bad habit of old age. So, what was your purpose in seeking me out?”

“Purpose?”

“Yes. You are young. You died at a spirited age, so you must have more regrets. This is the first time you’ve seen someone like me, but if you had no regrets, you probably wouldn’t want to live even if you came back to life. You must have a purpose for seeking me out, right?”

“I……”

I tried to speak, but he raised his hand, silencing me. He nodded slightly in apology and stated his terms first.

“Let me tell you in advance. I am willing to cooperate as long as it doesn’t go against the rule and morality of Restart. You and I are, in a way, comrades caught up in this unknown providence. Although I’m seeing you for the first time today, as someone who feels a sense of shared suffering, I can offer you a favor. However, I must receive the necessary compensation for it. Tell me.”

“Well…… the reason I became an inspector was that I had to leave the capital legally. My father wouldn’t have let me go if it was just a trip. Above all, it was obvious that many people would be involved. It would have been difficult to even meet and talk to Your Grace like this.”

“I understand. And so?”

“What I would like to ask of you is that you would help me maintain good relations with Azot while I am away from the capital.”

This is why I sought him out. I thought people who could understand each other’s circumstances would be able to communicate.

The old Duke, over 100 years old in mental age, stared at me intently.

“What benefit is there for me in doing that?”

“Well, if relations with Azot improve significantly, you could reap the benefits.”

“That’s weak. That doesn’t benefit me. Moreover, it doesn’t even help Restart. We have no relationship or exchange with Azot, be it trade or military.”

I scratched my head. As expected, it seems difficult to get cooperation for free.

“Then how about this? I hear you’ve been having a lot of trouble with drug smuggling lately.”

“What are you trying to say?”

“Since I’m in the position of asking for a favor, I have no choice but to show you my cards. I have Jay and Old Man under my command. You might remember them.”

“Jay and Old Man? Aren’t they the big shots of Azot’s underworld who fought the Black New Moon and ended up mutually destroying each other? You’re saying you have them?”

As expected, it’s only natural that he remembers these historically famous figures. I smiled and nodded.

“That’s right. And they have now established themselves in the capital’s nightlife, and are currently thinking of setting up a branch in Restart. If Your Grace wishes, they can take control of the smuggling distribution in Prema and eradicate drugs.”

“It will take years.”

“You have to start with a big, long-term plan. Besides, my organization is relatively clean.”

The only illegal things AJOR does are protection fees and smuggling. Of course, fighting is also illegal, but by the standards of the back alleys, AJOR is as clean as a lady’s handkerchief.

Duke Ecoshian stroked his chin with an intrigued expression.

“Indeed. It’s better than the idea of eradicating all crime like the young police chiefs of the capital. Those righteous friends are a headache. It’s better to leave them alone than to listen to them. Crime is an essential element that makes up society, and the role of a ruler is to minimize the need for that necessary evil. It might be better to have someone I know be in charge.”

“It’s a decent offer, isn’t it?”

“But it’s a little lacking. Besides, I don’t know what you’re aiming for, do I? Your purpose. I want to hear that.”

He’s not an easy person to deal with. In any case, he’s saying he won’t lose anything. Well, since I came to ask for a favor, I guess I should tell him a thing or two more.

I took a sip of tea and said,

“My purpose is to control the Empire and its surroundings so that no war breaks out while I’m alive.”

“Control?”

“I died in a situation I couldn’t control. I was a fool who drowned while struggling in a huge current. I couldn’t even resist when others pushed me and fell to my death. It was so unfair.”

Even now, thinking about the moment of death makes me feel nauseous deep down. It’s been three years since I traveled back in time, but it’s firmly rooted in my memory and continues to torment me.

“And so?”

“I thought it would be better to die while in control, even if it meant dying. I made up my mind after traveling back in time, right after what they call a ‘Reset’. I decided that I could control the next 10 years.”

“Heh heh…… anyone who hears that would think you’re dreaming of rebellion.”

“If necessary, I won’t hesitate to become Emperor.”

I said it with sincerity.

Of course, it would be almost impossible, but if necessary, I would aim for the Emperor’s throne in a way that others could accept.

If that’s what it takes to control the flow of time.

If that’s what it takes to eradicate such an absurd war like the one I died in!

“You…… are not an ambitious person. But you are more than ambitious. You are an adventurer.”

“Huh, is that so?”

“Ambitious people have clear goals. But adventurers only seek ‘endless adventure’. Interesting. It’s not a goal you can easily tell others about.”

Duke Ecoshian had a sharp smile on his face.

That’s right. My goal will never end as long as I live. But that’s okay too.

A goal I can constantly look towards as long as I live!

Something that didn’t exist in my previous life, something I can pursue now!

“Good. I like that absurdity even more. I accept your request. I don’t know when that personal matter of yours will be resolved, but as long as you don’t kill me, I promise that relations with Azot will be maintained, if not improved.”

“Thank you, Your Grace.”

“No, not at all. If you are determined to even overthrow the Emperor, knowing the future, then you should. In a way, you are the one who can aim for the Emperor’s throne the closest among those who are furthest from the line of succession.”

Duke Ecoshian laughed and took out his pipe. I drank another cup of tea while he lit it.

He puffed out white, sweet smoke and said,

“As you know, there is no one decent among the successors to the throne. They lack the spirit of reform and are morally corrupt. Just look at the background of the war you died in. It would have been better if you had guided them.”

“It’s difficult. Because of the Salain Dukedom.”

And my father wouldn’t help me. And I continued my efforts to cut off the very cause of the war. It’s currently bearing fruit to some extent.

“Indeed. I wonder what Mujaindos is doing now. Anyway, the goal you mentioned will be difficult to achieve. Especially if you’re in a position as ambiguous as you are now.”

“I know. So I need to work harder.”

I said it seriously, but Duke Ecoshian didn’t seem to like my attitude.

He clicked his tongue and shook his head.

“Tsk. That’s not enough. The goal is admirable, but the method is the problem. You, become a big shot.”

“Yes?”

“Take control of the Empire’s nightlife with the organization you have now, gather everything you know to the fullest, and solidify the reality around you, centered on yourself. It would be good to aim for a Dukedom if possible.”

“By pushing my brother out?”

“That’s for you to decide. With your current abilities, it would be quite possible to bring your brother down. Or have the Imperial government create a fourth Dukedom. A position that no one but you can occupy. Become a big shot and control your surroundings. Become a big shot to the point where taking control of the smuggling distribution in a small city like Prema and eradicating drugs becomes a trivial matter. To the point where you can even start a war if you want to! Do you understand?”

I nodded. Because I understood what he was talking about.

It’s impossible to prevent a war on a national scale unless you can grasp all the elements that make up reality – people, money, and so on – all at once.

Duke Ecoshian leaned back on the sofa and puffed out smoke. A leisurely voice flowed through the smoke.

“Thank you for listening to my story today. I was too old from the beginning to do many things. Of course, there are regrets even in this life I live again. But when I die…… I will be able to smile.”

“You will.”

“I hope you will too.”

“Thank you for your kind words. I’ll be going now.”

“So you will.”

I adjusted my clothes and got up from my seat. As I walked towards the door, I suddenly wanted to say this.

“Rule well.”

“Humph! It’s not something a young man should worry about.”

Duke Ecoshian still smiled pleasantly.

I bowed my head to the man I could feel a sense of camaraderie with, regardless of age.

Yes. For the sake of my goal, I must become a big shot.

A person who can suppress war must have the power to start a war as well.

I will become that person.

With my own power, I will control my own time!

Ah, before that, I need to take care of things with Levidian.

First, I need to get my surroundings in order.

Now! Let’s go!

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