Chapter 691 Chapter
176. Fate for the two (5)
“But you didn’t say that you were crippled because of the long torture. How did you survive from Rosa?”
“Has your body ever changed in an instant? Twelve Horsemen.”
“There was a sense of getting stronger every time I went up.”
“It’s not just that realm, it’s the feeling of being completely reborn.”
“I have seen it. Through the deceased Sir Ron.”
“I experienced it myself the moment I decided to live for the lady. My body, which was said to be helpless without being a god of Numerus, suddenly began to come to life. I could feel the dislocated and broken bones sticking together and the damaged organs recovering.”
Just as Ron rose from the dead alone when he faced Gleeck, Hedo also underwent a body reformation.
“I even questioned whether I had momentarily entered the same realm as Sir Shiron. Sooner or later, I realized that it was just an illusion, but there was nothing short of fighting right away.”
“I guess you and Sandra protected each other that day.”
“I fought without being able to adapt to the new realm, and I was pushed back because I didn’t have a good sword, but fortunately Rosa was also tired from breaking through the lab. Thanks to that, I held out until the main unit reinforcements arrived, and Rosa escaped gnashing her teeth.”
Afterwards, Hedo naturally belonged to Zipple.
There were only two things he asked of Kelliac. To get back his sword from the Black Sea and to stay with Sandra.
Sandra gave Hedo what no one else could.
meaning of living life. What he had never received from the orphanage director, the first knight he killed, Chiron, Kelliac, or anyone else or anything.
“That’s why I became the second-class butler.”
“I couldn’t find a more suitable job than that. Since then, I have learned a lot to serve the young lady. Common sense and knowledge of public tax, etc. I started to learn the most important thing about what the lady lacks. Since the young lady is no different from an animal, I thought I should inform her.”
If it was for Sandra, Hedo mastered anything insanely fast.
Among them, the fastest learning was the way of life within the family. He recognized early on that his family coveted his allegiance, but he also saw that there were many who were just as suspicious.
So, I took on the role of a cleaner. He mercilessly purged those who stayed in important positions with the elements that interfered with work like this thread, and organized the forces within the family that were draining power through useless quarrels. That is, with overwhelming force.
Even so, he was not overly greedy, so it was only natural that Kelliac and other leaders were satisfied with him.
Hedo quickly became the hidden powerhouse of Zipple. The reason I didn’t change my position even after becoming a real person was because there was no need to do so.
However, the only reward he hoped for has not been achieved to this day.
“Treat Lady Sandra as a human being, not as a test subject, and give her freedom. That’s all I’ve ever wished for in a family. After taking power, I never openly demanded it, but the family knew it clearly.”
“There was no way Zipple would allow that. You would have assumed that the moment Sandra gained her freedom, your allegiance vanished as well.”
“It’s true that the family tried not to let go of the leash, but it wasn’t just that. I also thought that family was the most helpful for the lady’s safety. Reasons include long-standing resentment between the family and Runkandel, the international situation, and the strange temperament of a young lady who never changes. Can I leave the family and live a normal life? Miss.”
Kelliac had been waiting for the day when Hedo would give his true allegiance to the family and not to Sandra.
“…I was using that fact to create a territory only for me and the young lady within the family.
“From your point of view, it’s because of me that you messed up your work…”
Silence passed for a while, and Jin suddenly remembered Sandra from his previous life. In her previous life, she had an arranged marriage with a lower-ranking member of the Beamont family.
Maybe Sandra’s marriage at that time was the result of Hedo’s will finally coming to fruition, I thought.
Scared to think so, Hedo opened his mouth again and spat out these words.
“12 riders. What I wanted to give you in return is a normal life. You get to have a normal personality, get along with other people, and one day meet a worthy mate and spend the rest of your life together. Without you… I would have done it.”
Jin didn’t answer and met Hedo’s eyes.
“But it must have been what I wanted, not the life you wanted… Now I realize how easy it is.”
Hedo pours the last remaining alcohol into his and Gin’s glasses.
“I have a question for you, Tower Keeper.”
“Something.”
“Even after you took control, it seems that Ziffle hasn’t stopped experimenting with Sandra, and you said that’s what Sandra wanted. I think that might have been the choice for you. I did not know the circumstances, so I told you that I was cowardly, but I want to withdraw.”
“It’s true that I was cowardly, so there’s no need for that.”
Of course, Sandra agreed to the experiment because she wanted to help Hedo. He thought that if he showed a compliant appearance from time to time, Hedo would be less suspicious, and if he also gained a semi-immortal body, Hedo would be less likely to get into trouble.
“The 12th Horseman.”
“Tell me.”
“I’m honestly still skeptical. Even if I and the young lady become your family here, I wonder if it will really be better than the days when I have been stable in my own way in the family.”
“Then what do you want to do?”
“I am not saying that I will return to my family. Looking back, it was a life of constant escape. After all, life in the family was not a wonderful time for either me or the lady.”
“I should change the question. What would you like me to do?”
“One day, if I feel hopeless in Tikan, I will take my lady and leave without hesitation. Do not interrupt me then.”
“I swear. We will not stop it, nor will we seek out and retaliate against you and Sandra for betraying us.”
“I don’t know if I can trust your tongue.”
“Am I not a person with that much weight now? And most of all…”
Jean turned and looked at Sandra for a moment.
Tikan thought that she must be made a better choice than in her previous life when she was married to the royal family.
At that time, even if she was married, there was a zipel after all, so Sandra would have been kept under surveillance and there was a high possibility that she would be used politically.
Besides, Sandra didn’t act as crazy as she does now, so it could have been the result of mind manipulation.
Rather, it was Jin’s duty to make him freer.
“I have a pretty big debt to Sandra. She has helped me many times and saved my life. Dealing with Rosa is my priority right now, but my ultimate goal includes the destruction of Ziffle. When they are gone, there will be no threat to you and Sandra in the world.”
“The timing of our departure may be earlier than the decisive battle with the evil god.”
“I understand. Even if I’m scared, it won’t work for you anyway. Losing power is painful, but I have no choice but to respect it. I wonder if you’re the type to succumb to force.”
Hedo’s pine smoke went out, leaving behind a lingering fire.
“But I sincerely plan to make sure that doesn’t happen. I will help put an end to your and Sandra’s long nightmare while staying in Tican.”
As Jin looked down at the glass, Hedo raised it.
It was the first toast. Hedo and Sandra will now remain in Tikan.
“Suddenly, I remember something you said a while ago.”
-Maybe you’re a descendant of a teenage knight named Bale. So the sword found you. Not a coincidence.
What Jin said while conciliating Hedo.
Hedo, of course, is not a descendant of Veil. However, the fates of Hedo and Bale clearly had many uncanny resemblances.
“My conversation with you also reminded me of Lord Bale’s story. The things he went through were not as harsh as yours, but just as you were reborn through Sandra, Sir Bale also found the meaning of existence from Sir Sarah.”
As if he had just heard Hedo’s past, Jin had already talked to Bale to some extent.
Like Hedo, Veil was just a monster everywhere, destroying things until he met Sarah.
“That madman, unlike me, doesn’t seem to have any thoughts at all. I still don’t believe in fate, but I have to admit you’re right.”
Jin smiled.
“I would like to consider this fate for the two of you.”
Hedo shrugged, took out a new piece of pine smoke, and lit it.
“Rather than that, what you asked for in the first place is a problem. Now that the lady and I have become traitors, we cannot help finding Jonah Runcandel’s sister in Arkin.”
“Well, yes, but now that you and Bale are affiliated with Tikan, things have gotten better. Me and you Lord Vale. If the three of us directly infiltrate Akin and connect with Nameless, it seems that we will be able to reliably and quickly subdue the runaway sister Yona without the help of Ziple.”
“As soon as you betray, you infiltrate the family territory, so you do such an embarrassing job well.”
“If it’s burdensome, I’ll only take Lord Bale with you.”
“No, I will go with you. While I’m gone, I’ll have to secure your sister and say goodbye to the family.”
“Thank you, tower guard. Oh and.”
Jin asked Hedo to shake hands. Hedo looked down at that hand for a few seconds before clasping it.
“From now on, I will use honorifics and be courteous. Sir Hedo, please forget the rudeness caused by special circumstances so far.”
Hedo seemed to like Jin’s words so he replied.
“Then let me speak comfortably, 12 horseman. Please do well in the future.”
Hedo then turned his head to the pillar next to him.
“And please take good care of Miss Valeria. Let me tell you one thing… The young lady has never been involved in anything to do with Hester.”
When Jin and Hedo entered the restaurant first, Valeria appeared from behind the column.
Jin and Hedo knew from the beginning that she had been listening there, and Valeria did the same, but they did not show each other.
Valeria leaned against the railing for a while and looked up at the sky.
