Regina Lena – To the Unforgiven - Chapter 43

“Then you’d better commit suicide.”

 

“That is too much…”

 

“Because you want to die.”

 

Clavis looked at Rena with a face that said Rena’s suggestion was too much. Of course, it was a joke.

 

It wasn’t even a playful situation, but Clavis whispered softly.

 

“Thank you for your advice, but if that’s possible, I wouldn’t have to suffer until now, would I?”

 

That means he couldn’t commit suicide. So Rena thought for a moment and asked.

 

“Does the Emperor prevent you from dying, or does the Emperor die too when you die?”

 

“As expected, you’re quick-witted.”

 

It must be a big secret, but Clavis’ answer to Rena’s question was light.

 

So there was no doubt about it.

 

When she first saw Clavis, Rena thought he was like an angel in a torch. It meant beautiful, but it also meant something foreign.

 

Only today did Rena realize where that first impression came from.

 

Clavis’ smile of wanting to die was definitely beautiful. But it was empty, as if it was painted with a brush, as if it was all meant to be shown to others.

 

It was the twist of those who wished to die, and therefore those who were not fully alive.

 

“How long have you lived?”

 

Rena asked with a strange hunch.

 

She didn’t know if it was because of her feelings toward this man, but Clavis’ face hasn’t changed much since six years ago.

 

She thought that maybe like Nihil, his actual age and appearance could be very different.

 

So she asked, but Clavis just shook his head without saying a word.

 

Rena, who got some kind of answer from the silence, forgot that she hated dealing with him and asked again.

 

“Then do you know what it means to conquer the Tomb?”

 

“No, I don’t know. We only started the expedition only because Nihil ordered it.”

 

Clavis answered cooly, rolled his eyes for a moment, and changed his words.

 

“Hmm. Should I say I know? I have a rough guess, but I’m not quite sure. But I guess it’s right, seeing Sir Rena saying that.”

 

Clavis looked into Rena’s eyes and smiled softly. Then he added with a look that was sly like a fox.

 

“There are more reasons to kill the Emperor, right?”

 

“…you care about nothing but your own purposes.”

 

“You know what to say.”

 

“Apparently you’re not as good as I thought.”

 

“Yes, you can hate me. It’s good to be hated by Sir Rena.”

 

Despite Rena’s fierce contempt, Clavis was still friendly. Rena’s eyes narrowed at that decorated generosity.

 

“I’m sorry, but I’ll refrain from that. It’s hard to hate each other. And I’ll pretend I didn’t even hear what you said before. It’s not like we’re going to exchange favors with each other.”

 

Rena got up after saying those words.

 

She couldn’t sit leisurely and drink tea in a yard where a request to kill the Emperor came out. It was a sign for Clavis to proceed with the story at will.

 

So when she tried to leave her seat, Clavis held his chin and said.

 

“There is no choice not to do it. Sir Rena has only one choice, either to kill the Emperor, or to be killed by the Emperor.”

 

“Who do you want?”

 

Rena smiled gently at the kind threat and said.

 

“I don’t think you understand, but I don’t do what you want.”

 

“Won’t the people around you be in danger? Miss Rena is a nice person, isn’t she?”

 

“Mr. Clavis.”

 

As the threat grew even more vile, Rena called him with a heavy voice.

 

And Clavis was more surprised by the name ‘Mr. Clavis’ he had heard for the first time in his life, rather than Rena’s voice.

 

While Clavis paused, Rena closed her eyes beautifully and whispered.

 

“How are you going to handle the aftermath? Don’t make me think about how to trap or bury people.”

 

Rena’s threat was much more plain than Clavis’, but it was even more creepy.

 

“In any case, it won’t be easy. Our Sir Rena…”

 

In the end, Clavis, who was threatening her with people around her, also lowered his tail and took a step back.

 

“Well, I’m not asking you to answer right away either.”

 

Clavis said so and took out a small box. It was a box decorated with velvet and metal.

 

It was a luxurious box that seemed to contain jewelry rings or necklaces.

 

Clavis held out the box, but Rena didn’t take it and just looked at it. So Clavis added an explanation.

 

“Take it, Her Majesty has bestowed it.”

 

Only then did Rena take the box with a suspicious look and open it. Inside was a silvery key. It was something Rena had already seen.

 

Shortly after completing the first expedition, when Rena brought the seal ring from the Tomb, the Emperor gave this key in return, saying she had done well.

 

“It’s the key to the Emperor’s Gallery.”

 

“Gallery?”

 

“Where the Emperor spends most of her day, that’s where you are invited. It’s an honor, right?”

 

Rena alternated between Clavis and the key with doubtful eyes.

 

The fact that he was keeping this key meant that he knew that Rena would soon be alone with the Emperor.

 

Talking about killing the Emperor in the midst of this was not an exaggeration to say that the Emperor was infinitely generous to him.

 

When Rena was worried about the unknown situation, Clavis added naturally.

 

“I’m coming to play next Wednesday, so let’s meet again. After a few words, you might want to kill her.”

 

Rena frowned at what he said, not sure if he was joking or serious. But Clavis’ expression was still bright. He looked like an angel in a torch or a clown on stage.

 

“I’ll give you enough time to think about it. I have a lot of time anyway that I’m tired of it.”

 

“…I’m envious that you have so much time that you’re tired of it.”

 

Rena turned around with the key at the end of the sentence.

 

“Oh, right.”

 

But before she could take a few steps, Clavis asked Rena’s back again.

 

“I will ask you one last question. You gave Rubid flowers on the eve.”

 

Rena stopped walking due to the unexpected topic.

 

“Did you copy a poem?”

 

“…Do you know that poem?”

 

“I’d rather offer flowers. Am I right?”

 

Rena’s expression hardened as the familiar verse flowed from Clavis’ mouth.

 

Clavis, seeing her expression, added with a delighted face.

 

“Looks like I’m right.”

 

Unlike Clavis, who was strangely happy, Rena’s expression became colder.

 

She looked dissatisfied that the poem she loved the most was mentioned by that man’s mouth.

 

“I didn’t know you liked poetry.”

 

“I don’t really like it. I just know.”

 

“Then I’m glad that our tastes don’t overlap.”

 

That’s what she said, but Rena was once more upset that he didn’t like the poem.

 

She wanted to question him who he was to say that the poem was not good.

 

However, since he wasn’t so frivolous, Rena kept her dissatisfaction and instead looked at him for the last time before turning around.

 

.

.

.

 

Rena, who got out of the Greenhouse Garden, silently pondered what she had learned.

 

She unexpectedly got to hear a lot of stories, and Rena’s first feeling upon finding out was displeasure.

 

Rena didn’t want to know about Clavis’ situation.

 

The fact that he had mocked the powerless child and pushed her into the Tomb remained unchanged despite having a reason.

 

Rena didn’t want to attach a foot to that fact. She didn’t want to leave any room for interpretation, and she didn’t want to add any more understanding to his vileness and cruelty.

 

‘But he called me and chatted however he wanted…”

 

Rena bit her lower lip, recalling the secret that Clavis had divulged like a surprise to her.

 

Curiosity raised its head amidst discomfort. Rena was displeased with it once again, but she could hardly escape from the feeling.

 

A man who enjoys everything by the Emperor’s side.

 

A man who wants to kill the Emperor.

 

A man who has actually tried several times.

 

In return, rather than causing the Emperor’s anger, the man smiles brightly, saying he wants to die.

 

A man who has nothing to lose because what he wants is death, so he clowns without fear or desperation.

 

Rena let out a long sigh as she recalled Clavis’ face. Somehow she felt like she had seen something that shouldn’t be seen.

 

The strange feeling reminded her of the past. She felt like this at that time, too.

 

***

 

“You bastard!”

 

Rena Ruber’s first rebellion, which started from the Tomb, was very costly for a young girl’s rebellion.

 

“Uwaah!”

 

As soon as Rena shouted, the dead tightened their limbs even more.

 

At that eerie feeling, Rena sensed her end and closed her eyes tightly.

 

At that moment, a harsh wind blew past her ears.

 

Immediately after that, things wrapped around her limbs fell to pieces, and Rena, who had been standing still, lost her support and fell to her knees.

 

“Uuh… Ah. Kyaakh!”

 

Without a moment of relief for her release, Rena screamed as soon as she opened her eyes. It was because the dead that surrounded Rena were torn apart and scattered on the ground.

 

As Rena shuddered over the corpses of the dead, the wind rang out once more.

 

With a light sound, the dead were crushed again, with Rena at its center.

 

The shredded dead soon permeated the ground and disappeared, and Rena barely came to her senses when she saw the bodies of the dead disappear.

 

Rena, who was a little more sober, looked around to see what was going on.

 

— Look above.

 

Rena reflexively raised her head. And there, she discovered a very strange being, a little different from the dead.

 

— It was novel advice. ‘Don’t give me orders, you bastard.’”

 

Said the existence. It was a lively voice mixed with laughter.

 

But Rena couldn’t relax because of the bizarre shape of that being.

 

When Rena saw him, the first thing that came to mind was a broken statue.

 

The being that appeared in the air was gracefully dangling with smooth arms and legs like a giant marble sculpture. The white cloth that barely covered the body was also like a garment worn by angels.

 

If it was in its perfect form, it would have been considered beautiful.

 

But that being was shattered here and there, so its appearance was bizarre before it was beautiful. In particular, the top of the face was blown away, leaving only the mouth.

 

Moving and talking like that, little Rena was once again terrified of her.

 

 

So, while she was standing still, the being came down from the air and bowed in front of Rena.

 

As it approached, with a face with only a chin, it looked carefully at Rena as if it had eyes.

 

— He sent you too.

 

It sighed and stroked Rena’s cheek. Rena thought it was cold marble, but its hand was surprisingly soft.

 

— I will apologize in his stead. No, not in anyone’s stead. I apologize for everything you’ve been through.

 

Rena was taken aback by the unexpected and unknown apology. Meanwhile the statue asked.

 

— What’s your name?

 

“Rena…”

 

Normally, she would have introduced herself as Rena Ruber, but somehow, the name Ruber didn’t come out of her mouth now.

 

And Rena, who she answered meekly, asked belatedly in tears.

 

“Who the hell are you apologizing for?”

 

But she was dazed, and when she stood up late, she was just cute. The statue smiled at her and replied.

 

— As you know, I am the Unforgiven King. My name is…

 

The Unforgiven King hesitated for a moment, then smiled even more deeply.

 

— Regina. Welcome to the abyss, the child with the same name as me.

 

 

The author’s words:

Regina. Age 77. Distinct characteristic; Unforgiven.