31 - The Bookworm’s Second Life

**The Reader’s Rebirth Life - Chapter 31** Liechten Margrave found himself questioning whether he was dreaming. When he sent his son, Zion Clausen, to the negotiation table, there had been no worries. His son had already shown more than enough commendable skills. But to think it reached this level was beyond his imagination. “What... what is this, my son? Am I seeing this correctly?” “No. You’re seeing it perfectly right.” — Condition 1: The Count of Basura shall pay 4 million dir to the Clausen Margraviate, by the standards of Nudiah. — Liechten Margrave rubbed his eyes repeatedly, feeling incredulous. He had predicted that the compensation would be between 300,000 to 600,000 dir at most. ‘But 4 million? Not 400,000, but 4 million?’ He considered the possibility of an error with an extra zero but couldn’t fathom that such a ridiculous mistake would occur in such a crucial negotiation setting. The only answer left was that Zion had demanded 4 million dir as compensation and Nudiah had accepted it. “Go ahead, read the next part.” “There’s more?” — Condition 2: The Clausen Margraviate will release prisoners captured in the war in exchange for ten times the usual ransom. However, the superior knight of Nudiah, Rishikida Amschel, is excluded from this condition. — The war had been brief, initiated by Clausen’s surprise attack, so the captured prisoners weren’t many. Still, several knights, dozens of soldiers, and a superior Nudiah knight, Rishikida Amschel, were captured. Although she decided to stay in Clausen Margraviate—specifically by Zion’s side—the other knights and soldiers had different circumstances. Their families and belongings were entirely in Nudiah, so they needed to return, which would require paying an appropriate ransom. “Ten times? Son! What on earth is happening? Releasing prisoners for ten times the ransom? Did the County of Basura really agree to these terms for a truce?” “There’s still one more.” — Condition 3: Henceforth, the County of Basura in Nudiah shall avoid any military conflicts and shall exert 'every kind’ of effort to amicably resolve any emergencies that arise. — The mention of ‘every kind’ of effort clearly implied a financial aspect to the resolution. Liechten Margrave could no longer find words. This was less a truce negotiation and more akin to an unconditional surrender. The compensation alone was staggeringly absurd. Traditionally claimed at what would be ten times the standard compensation. Not twofold, not fivefold, but a full tenfold. The 4 million dir was an enormous amount equivalent to the annual tax revenue of the County of Basura. Though various methods might be employed to compensate through other means, it would still equate to about half a year’s worth of revenue. This was akin to the surrendering party crawling on their knees and emptying even the last 10-dime coin from their pockets. ‘This release of prisoners is also strange!’ Offering to pay ten times the usual amount made no sense and was unprecedented. Clausen and Basura had experienced many conflicts, and there were times when one side was at a significant disadvantage. Even in such times, the conditions presented were never this subservient. They were typically filled with reasonable terms that allowed both parties to maintain dignity and move forward. But this time, something was clearly amiss. ‘And this third condition! It’s unheard of! Does it even make sense?’ Throughout the document, there’s no mention of any conditions affecting the Clausen Margraviate. It couldn’t have been overlooked—it was clearly a deliberate omission. Even though it was a ‘truce’ negotiation, the County of Basura seemed to be giving in entirely. “...Zion Clausen.” “Yes, Father.” “Nothing... nothing strange happened, right?” “I’m not sure what you mean.” “I mean... did the Count of Basura possibly attempt harm on you, only to be subdued and have a weakness exposed or something?” “Nothing of the sort. It was a perfectly peaceful negotiation setting, so don’t worry.” Indeed, for Zion, it was perfectly peaceful. “Anyhow, the negotiation concluded as such. Count Dese Basura was granted the authority to handle the negotiation, so doing anything foolish like retracting wouldn’t be expected.” “...I still feel like I’m dreaming. To think of negotiating such terms with Nudiah.” Zion smiled, conveying that what had happened, happened for the best, and Liechten could only nod in acknowledgment. Though the aspect of Rishikida being a knight of Nudiah was concerning, her sincere dedication seemed to indicate genuine surrender. They solidified her non-release in the negotiations, affirming her position. ‘It concluded well.’ Regardless of Liechten Margrave’s concerns, the negotiations smoothly concluded without any military conflict. Of course, there was the incident where Rishikida slapped Count Dese Basura across the face, but that was deemed deserved and therefore overlooked. ‘I leveraged everything I knew about the County of Basura’s problems and weaknesses, and combined it with Rishikida’s insights on Count Dese’s recent actions. There were weaknesses severe enough to completely bury the County of Basura in Nudiah.’ Surely, there were Nobles in Nudiah eager to check the County of Basura’s power. Zion had keenly detailed to Count Dese Basura exactly how those nobles could be motivated to move against him, ensuring the negotiation’s outcome. Rishikida mentioned at the negotiation table all the blunders of her former master, which provided plenty of leverage. "Well done, Rishi." "Yes, thank you... Huh? Wh-what did you just say?" "I like the name Rishikida, but it's a bit long. How about I call you Rishi? If you don't like it, I can..." "No, absolutely not! It's good! Very, very good!" Zion waved his hand to calm her energetic response, making a sound as if to say 'Whooaaa.' "I'm really okay with it! However you wish to address me is perfectly fine, Master." "Alright, calm down. Why are you so high-spirited all of a sudden?" "Well, um..." Rishikida suddenly appeared deflated, her shoulders dropping. After a moment of hesitation, she opened up slowly. "I've seen the true face of the one I used to call master—it's unsettling. I can't comprehend why I ever followed such a man." "Think of it as the tough road you had to walk to become my knight. That's one way to look at it." "...Thinking like that does lighten my mood. Thank you for rescuing me." "I simply extended a hand. You're the one who took it. You saved yourself, so let's not overpraise." "Overpraise... what do you mean?" "It's just something to think about. Lately, I've been pondering seriously about certain matters." Though they say highly advanced science is akin to magic, this world is simply one where magic thrives. It's the idea that magic fills the void left by science. "Young master." Turning his head, Zion saw Sebastian waiting, slightly bowing. The gravity of his next words was evident, delivered in a subdued tone. "A guest has arrived. Let’s call it a rather 'troublesome’ guest." ...Damn, it's come to this. The only person Sebastian would explicitly call ‘troublesome’ could be none other than a former court mage who, before learning about Lilith, would have had a challenging time with the temple ordeal. And someone who, having lost his daughter, was infuriated to learn that his son-in-law was involved with another woman. "Rishi, come with me." "Me? But is it alright for me to accompany you to meet the guest?" It’s less about meeting a guest and more about walking a dangerous path. Yet, with Lucia present, that was unlikely to happen. Following Sebastian’s guidance, Zion and Rishikida headed to the most secluded part of the castle interior—a room typically used for family matters. Upon arrival, they heard a woman's sharp voice from within. "Do you all want to die? I don’t get it. How am I supposed to know that? I was sealed, damn it, locked away and unable to do anything, so why demand information as if I could, you fools?" It seemed Lilith had arrived ahead and was speaking with Raido. Sebastian sighed upon hearing this, then quickly nodded apologetically to Zion, who waved it off as no big deal and turned the handle to enter. "Hmm? Oh, you've finally arrived. Welcome, Zion Clausen." "What took you so long? Quick, come help me explain this to this senile old man. Otherwise, I might end up killing an old man for the first time instead of some young guy!" "Hahaha. Your words are harsh, Succubus Queen. Even if old, a man remains a man!" "Does it even stand up in the morning? Want me to tell you about some herbs good for premature..." Thinking that the Succubus Queen and a skilled mage were equally petty in their own rights, Zion controlled his internal amusement and with a slightly adjusted path made toward the seat in the center to avoid Lucia's gaze. Rishikida then took her place, and Sebastian left to prepare tea. "I've heard the gist of it. You signed a contract with the Succubus Queen." "Yes, Lord Raido, as you might know..." "Having no mana at all in your dream meant that she couldn't escape once entered. Hence, a contract with you was necessary for her to leave." "Correct." "I’m not sure what the contract entails, but making a pact with a nightmare creature isn’t the most comforting thing." With a heavy sigh, Raido rubbed his forehead. There was only so much a person could endure, yet here was a young noble from a grand family entangled with a demon, widely despised by humanity. And just thinking about his daughter’s affection for this fellow was driving Raido to the brink. "This is driving me insane. How twisted can things get?" "What do you mean?" "The temple she was sealed in, where that Succubus Queen was mentioned to be imprisoned... Upon the breaking of the seal, further investigation revealed..." "You found a grand magical formation, right? One of celestial origin." Raido's eyes sparked with astonishment at Zion's knowledge — wondering how he knew. "Naturally. Who else could have confined a high-ranking demon, considered nearly demi-divine, but an equal celestial force? Otherwise, it’s nearly impossible." "Certainly. We’re still examining its usage, but it's undoubtedly magic of the celestials." There's no particular mystery to its purpose. It was essentially a reinforcement setup for Lilith’s seal. However, its complexity and intricacy were so great that even Raido hadn’t fully deciphered it. "Oh, I remember the effort I put into breaking through that thing..." "If it weren't for Zion's earnest call, I might have lost consciousness while breaking through," Lilith proudly declared, as if it were a badge of honor. Raido, looking visibly unsatisfied, shot a glance at Lilith before shifting his gaze to Rishikida, standing behind Zion. He cupped his face in his hands and sighed. "Ugh, this kid... Suddenly, I'm envious." "Sorry? What was that?" "It's nothing, just talking to myself." Raido, brushing it off, proceeded to quickly summarize. Lilith's escape from the seal had accelerated the investigation of the temple, which was nearing completion. He also mentioned he'd have to leave Clausen territory soon due to some recent developments. "And Lucia..." "I thought about taking her along, but it's probably better for her to stay here. Dragging her along would likely earn me a thrashing from her the moment we left." "Father." Lucia shot Raido a formidable glare. In response, Raido, dubbed the relentless executioner, let out a whine and shrank back, further showcasing his overly fond parental affection. "So you're heading to the royal capital?" "Yes." "Be careful. It's crawling with jackals ready to bite if they see any weakness. I managed to silence them with brute force but..." "Do you think others might see my inability to use mana as a weakness?" "If not, would it somehow be a strength?" "Objectively speaking, it could be a weakness. But if used wisely, it might turn into a strength." "There you go, spouting strange nonsense again." Who knows, maybe it is possible! Snickering internally, Zion contemplated his future actions at the royal capital. Not being able to use mana was undeniably a vulnerability. However, on the flip side, it also meant possessing an unshakeable alibi that excluded him from any misdeeds involving magic.