Chapter 691
Episode 176. Destiny for Two (5)
“By the way, you didn’t say that you were crippled by the long torture. How did he survive 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 alone from the dead when he faced Gleeek, Hedo also underwent a physical reshaping.
“I even questioned whether I had momentarily entered the same realm as Sir Shiron. I soon 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 was able to hold on 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 his sword back from the Black Sea and to stay with Sandra.
Sandra gave Hedo what no one else could.
meaning of living life. Something he had never received from the orphanage director, from the first knight he killed, from Chiron, from Kelliac, from anyone 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 life, education, etc. I started to learn the most important thing about what the lady lacks. The young lady was no different from an animal, so I thought I should tell 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 found 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 elements that messed things up like this thread, and sorted out the forces within the family that were draining power through useless quarrels. That is, with overwhelming force.
Even so, he wasn’t 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 he didn’t change his position even after he became powerful was because he didn’t have to.
However, the only reward he hoped for has not been achieved to this day.
“Treat Lady Sandra as a human being, not a test subject, and give her freedom. That’s all I’ve ever wished for in a family. I never openly asked for it after taking power, 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 is true that the family tried not to let go of the leash, but that was not the only thing. I also thought that family was the most helpful for the lady’s safety. The reasons were the long-standing resentment between the family and Runkandel, the international situation, and the strange temperament of the young lady who never changed. 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, 12 Horsemen.”
“From your point of view, it’s because of me that you messed up… … .”
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 Bement family.
Maybe, at that time, Sandra’s marriage might be 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 to spend the rest of your life with. Without you… … I definitely would have done it.”
Jin didn’t answer and met Hedo’s eyes.
“But that’s what I wanted, not the life you wanted… … . It’s that easy, now I realize.”
Hedo pours the last remaining alcohol into his and Gin’s glasses.
“Tower Keeper, I have a question for you.”
“Something.”
“Even after you took power, 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 told you that I was cowardly because I did not know the circumstances, 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 Hedo would be less suspicious if he showed a docile appearance from time to time, and that if Hedo 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 living comfortably in my own 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 that there is no hope 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 above all… … .”
Jin 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 married the royal family.
At that time, even if they were married, Zipple existed 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 helped me many times and saved her 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 anyway, it won’t work for you. 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 Tikan.”
Jin looked down at his glass, and 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.
——————
faqwiki.us
Join our Discord for new chapter updates!
https://discord.com/invite/xr7SxG5T6V
——————
“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.”
Just like Hedo’s past history, 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 Runkandel, your sister, in Arkin.”
“Well, yes, but now that you and Bale are affiliated with Tikan, things are actually better. Me and you, Lord Bale. 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, infiltrate the family territory. You do such an embarrassing thing 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 leave a greeting for the family.”
“Thank you, Tower Keeper. 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. Please forget the rudeness caused by special circumstances so far, Sir Hedo.”
Hedo seemed to like Jin’s words so he replied.
“Then let me relax, Twelve 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.
