Regina Lena – To the Unforgiven - Chapter 71

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Translated by Wook
Edited by Wook

 

Hiems Gracia.

 

As the fifth king of the Kingdom of Gracia, he became king at the young age of 30 and reigned for 50 years.

 

In the golden age of the kingdom, he enjoyed heavenly power until eighty, monopolizing all powers as a king and pope.

 

Therefore, people thought that the king would die with all kinds of blessings and lived a leisurely life.

 

But the king himself was terribly afraid of his death.

 

Beyond death was a world he had never experienced before. And it was a place where neither the crown nor the army could be taken.

 

The journey to leave alone was too cruel for the king, who had been protecting himself with steel-like power so far. Those who have lived without anything throughout their lives would rather be lighthearted, but a king was not as such.

 

He was so used to having so much that he groaned in fear on his deathbed.

 

Oh, I don’t want to die. I don’t want to die. I want to exist as a king a little longer.

 

God, please don’t exist.

 

I have never been judged. So please don’t be anywhere.

 

At the last moment, the decrepit Hiems Gracia sought and prayed to God for the first time.

 

And death came.

 

Shortly after he died, he was under the burning red sky. And there were countless humans under his feet who desperately stretched their arms.

 

Seeing them, Hiems tried to run away, but before he could even take a step, he was helplessly captured by the hands, which were approaching like a tidal wave.

 

Oh, is this death? Is this hell? Is this the price of my life?

 

At that moment when Hiems struggled in the turbulence of humans and clamors.

 

— It’s a king.

 

— It really is a king.

 

Suddenly, he heard a voice calling him. It was the voice of the hands that captured Hiems.

 

When Hiems listened in surprise, they said.

 

— Lead us.

 

— Be our king.

 

— Let us rise once again.

 

Hiems came to his senses and looked again.

 

Then he could understand what they were.

 

They were the dead. These were the people who worshiped God and taught their disciples during their lifetime. And they were liars who exploited, manipulated, committed adultery, and cleverly stuffed their belly.

 

There were corrupt priests and corrupt teachers in all ages and in all countries.

 

Suppressed by their own sins and karma, they could not go beyond this to the next world, and they were stuck here like worms trapped in the sap.

 

Then, when they found someone who looked like them, they blindly stretched out their hands and dragged them into the group.

 

Hiems realized by looking at them.

 

Oh, there’s my seat over there. I will sink like them too.

 

Hiems, in deep despair, asked the countless hands.

 

— If I become king, what will you give me?

 

Then the hands of the dead answered.

 

— Everything.

 

— Existence.

 

— Ourselves.

 

— A name.

 

Hiems laughed at their servility.

 

Pitiful things, the scum struggling in the mud. They couldn’t repent of their mistakes, they were evil and poor things who wanted to avoid suffering by appointing a king who suited them.

 

Those who cannot go further and are punished because of their sins and karma.

 

Yes, you are my people.

 

Without hesitation, Hiems took the hand. Then the dead gathered and shouted as if they were going to press him to death.

 

― O king, the king who burns tender flesh.

 

― O king who has blackened the sky.

 

— Lead us.

 

— King of Burning and Scorching.

 

An unknown force swirled with the song of the dead.

 

The hands brought something shiny. It was the crown that Hiems wore on his head during his lifetime.

 

The dead gave Hiems a crown. He reached out his hand to receive the crown, and shortly thereafter he was stunned by the pain that ripped his soul apart.

 

When he woke up again, he was standing as he was in his most youthful and beautiful days. He was made of fire and ashes, not bones and blood.

 

With an unknown force overflowing from his body, Hiems sprayed a force full of his grip into the air. Then, like a volcano erupting, flames soared, burning the already red sky even redder.

 

“Haha…!”

 

It was a fire bigger and stronger than any fire he had ignited during his lifetime.

 

Seeing that, Hiems was delighted. His heart, heavy as lead, was in burning pain, but other than that, he was perfectly fine.

 

There was no judgment under the red sky, and he was still king.

 

It was time for Hiems Gracia to rejoice.

 

As if celebrating the birth of a new king, other kings who had already ruled the Tomb appeared.

 

From the weeping king who constantly sobbed, the lustful snake king, and the disnified lion king.

 

They were also kings while they were alive, and after death they were chosen by the dead to become kings of the dead.

 

They recognized him as their kind, and he was convinced by seeing them too.

 

Ah, these are the kings of kings.

 

A real king specially selected from among those who have been king alive.

 

A king is a great thing. They are special. A being that cannot be denied.

 

Thank you for the first time, God. I was right for not believing you.

 

I thought death was the end of everything, I thought that I would fall into a pitiful soul instead of a king, but I became a king without meeting you.

 

Hiems offered a prayer of gratitude for the first and last time.

 

And he became an immortal king and reigned at the peak of the Tomb. 100 years ago, until the world of the living and the dead continued.

 

.

.

.

 

There are countless kings in human history, but among them, only a few were chosen as the kings of the dead.

 

So that was the greatest honor and pride for Hiems.

 

Because of this, Rena Ruber’s existence was like an impurity that tarnished his glory.

 

A little girl who was neither king nor ruler, nor a winner or a strong man, was in the same ranks as him.

 

He couldn’t admit it.

 

Rena Ruber did not even stop at destroying his pride, but grew into a worst risk figure.

 

After Gracia’s daughter conquered the Tomb 100 years ago, the brutally defeated kings of the dead built walls to protect themselves.

 

Therefore, originally, descendants of the empire had to go through trial and error for years to decades to conquer the Tomb.

 

However, Rena Ruber, who knew everything about the Tomb’s recent circumstances, revealed the secret to the earth at will, and the kings were being dragged out of the castle again.

 

She called their names and revealed their existence, and had already slaughtered two kings of the dead.

 

So there was bound to be a lot of interest.

 

He needed to know how this blasphemous existence came to be, and what he wanted to do, even her later purposes.

 

On the other hand, Rena, who was listening to Hiems’ long story, nodded carefully.

 

“I was wondering why you were trying to approach me, but after listening to you, I came to know one thing.”

 

“What is that?”

 

“That you are very obsessed with the name of the kings.”

 

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Hiems closed his mouth and laughed at Rena’s evaluation. He seemed unhappy, but Rena asked calmly.

 

“What is a king in the first place?”

 

“A being that rules.”

 

“No, a king is someone who has had the opportunity to rule.”

 

His eyes narrowed at the strange wordplay. However, Rena continued to speak with a calm tone.

 

 

“They’re just one of many people who happened to get the upper hand, perhaps with a heavy burden.”

 

“Is that your definition of king?”

 

“They’re just rather lucky.”

 

Rena laughed at Hiems’ question.

 

“But unfortunately there are many kings like you in the world.”

 

“Kings like me?”

 

“A king who is narrow-minded because he believes he is special. So in the end, people like you and my father crossed the line.”

 

Rena said so and looked down at the hem of her own skirt. Then she checked the texture of the fabric with her fingertips.

 

“Again, I am not a king. The reason you don’t understand this is because you believe that only kings have power. Because you believe that only kings like you can fight and win.”

 

“He who fights and wins becomes the king in the end.”

 

“No, you don’t necessarily have to become a king just because you have power.”

 

Rena also wanted to say that this is the thought of the narrow-minded.

 

This was also a common prejudice.

 

Just as an abandoned girl does not necessarily have to be broken, a strong lady does not necessarily have to be a king. She doesn’t have to get revenge, and she doesn’t have to be a monster.

 

It is enough for her to be the one who understands her own weakness and strength.

 

So Rena called herself a human, but Hiems, who was born as a king, hardly understood the words.

 

“Then you should be the king’s friend. It’s too wasteful to leave that power and ability as their necessity.”

 

So he rather suggested to Rena.

 

“How about holding hands with us instead of the Emperor?”

 

“Then will you get me out of here?”

 

Hiems, who was trying to make an unconventional proposal, was momentarily taken aback by Rena’s quick question. Seeing him like that, Rena smiled deeply.

 

“As expected.”

 

Rena tore up her skirt hem, which she had been fiddling with while watching Hiems. Then she rushed to the embarrassed Hiems.

 

When Rena tried to catch him, Hiems fled by turning his body to ashes. As if waiting for that, Rena spread out the ripped skirt and grabbed all the ashes.

 

The ashes moved like a living creature trying to get out of it, and then returned to the form of Hiems Gracia again like a fish caught in a net.

 

The king, imprisoned, asked, hiding his disappointment.

 

“What are you doing?”

 

“Attempt to escape. It was like that before, right? I won’t be able to get out of it alone.”

 

So she was going to get helped. From him, the one who locked her up.

 

The great king could not have come all the way here just to chat.

 

Trying to steal memories meant he was trying to dig up information, and if he was here to dig up information, then there was a way to take it out as well.

 

“You don’t have to cooperate. You’ll do as much as I want.”

 

Rena said so and placed her hand on the captured Hiems’ neck. Recalling that this was a dream, she then focused on Hiems’ consciousness, not on her own.

 

It was time for her to find a way out.

 

“Ugh!”

 

Suddenly, she felt a dizzying shock and the world shook like a candle.

 

Rena unknowingly grabbed her head and staggered, while Hiems shook off Rena’s hand.

 

‘Where…!’

 

Rena stretched out her hand as if trying to grab Hiems again. But once again, the world shook and her eyes went dark.

 

“It looks like your body is being attacked.”

 

Hiems’ voice came from far away. However, Rena couldn’t even tell where he was.

 

“It’s a pity, it was a good attempt.”

 

Hiems said proudly.

 

“Our conversation was enjoyable. It seems like I will get in trouble if I stay longer, so I’ll get up now.”

 

Rena desperately struggled to regain her composure, but at that time, another shock went through her body, confusing her spirit.

 

And Hiems’ voice had become farther than before.

 

“Then, I hope you have a peaceful time.”

 

That was the last one.

 

After that greeting, Hiems disappeared from Rena’s consciousness.

 

***

 

“What are you doing?!”

 

Uni let out a shrill scream in surprise.

 

However, the Southern Duke didn’t care and slapped Rena on the cheek. Nevertheless, when Rena did not wake up, he raised his hand again.

 

“Stop it!”

 

Uni, who couldn’t stand it, hung on the arm of the Southern Duke. The Southern Duke said to her with an anguished look on his face.

 

“If she doesn’t wake up, she will die.”

 

“If she were going to wake up like that, she would’ve gotten up right away!”

 

At Uni’s rebuttal, the Southern Duke’s expression contorted even more.

 

The doctor also tried medication. He tried washing her face with cold water and rubbing her hands and feet.

 

Still, there was no sign of getting up, so the Southern Duke, who couldn’t bear it any longer, hit Rena to try to wake her up. But the result was the same.

 

There was no other way, and he started to feel desperate. Suddenly, there was a noise from the direction of the door, and an unwelcome guest appeared.

 

It was the Eastern Duke Lignan Aetherner.

 

When a man who was like a thorn in his eye came to him, the Southern Duke clenched his teeth.

 

“What’s going on here?”

 

“I came to see my fiancee.”

 

“You, someone without manners. Get out!”

 

The Southern Duke immediately kicked Lynn out.  It was only a few hours ago that he was humiliated by the emperor. He didn’t want to face the opponent who had seen it.

 

But Lynn pushed in, ignoring the Southern Duke’s words, and the Southern Duke took a deep breath as if about to shout again.

 

Then Uni intervened again.

 

“You never know. Maybe he’s got a way.”

 

At Uni’s intervention, the Southern Duke held his breath and looked back at Lynn. He didn’t seem to have brought anything.

 

The Southern Duke, who had been looking at Lynn in dissatisfaction, eventually turned around, grinding his teeth.

 

“I will be back in an hour. Before that, disappear on your own.”

 

The Southern Duke said so and left, leaving only Lynn and Uni in the room.

 

“Do you have a way?”

 

Uni asked Lynn as if pleading. At that, Lynn nodded his head with an unsure expression.

 

“Leave me alone for a while.”

 

Uni looked at Rena and Lynn alternately with an anxious look, and she soon turned and left the room.

 

As a result, Lynn and Rena became alone. He looked down at Rena’s red swollen cheeks and blood-stained lips.

 

Lynn stroked Rena’s lips with his thumb. He then licked and swallowed Rena’s blood from his fingertips.

 

 

 

The author’s words:

Southern Duke, 80 years old. An unexpected troll.