Chapter 46

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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 46
Chapter Title: The First Step of a Great Revolution
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[Listen, Duke Enoch Rubinstein!

Abandoning your beliefs is not the only way to protect your daughter.

Do you intend to submit to the old snake's cunning schemes?

Is that truly the future you wished for?

Imagine, Enoch Rubinstein!

The world you so desperately longed for in your youth!

This country must change!

You can do it!

Only you can do it!

Find ‘Joseph Luttman’.

You may have heard of him.

He can be found in a gambling den in the urban district of the Balterac territory in the central region.

The first step of a great revolution!

I am certain he is the man you need.

-L-]

“What is this….”

Enoch’s eyes wavered. The letter contained an astounding message.

After a long moment of stunned silence, Enoch quickly found the previous letter from L and unfolded it.

The two handwritings were different. L was thoroughly concealing their identity. It would not be easy to find them.

“Who in the world….”

Startled, Enoch, who had shot to his feet, plopped back down into his chair and reread the letter.

*Do you intend to submit to the old snake's cunning schemes?*

*Are you really going to participate in the war of aggression the emperor demanded?*

*Abandoning your beliefs is not the only way to protect your daughter.*

L knew that Enoch had resolved to act according to the emperor's will for his daughter's sake.

*This country must change!*

*The first step of a great revolution!*

Glancing around the empty office, Enoch quietly folded the letter and hid it deep inside a drawer.

“This is one crazy bastard.”

If anyone found out, all hell would break loose.

It was an open invitation to start a rebellion.

“A real madman.”

Was such a thing even possible?

If revolution were easy, someone would have tried it long ago.

In the Pavilion Empire, the imperial family was a symbol of absolute power.

The great ability, said to have been bestowed by the main god ‘Primera,’ had been granted only to the Pavilion imperial line for generations, and naturally, the empire advocated for the divine right of kings.

The emperor, who claimed absolute power granted by a god.

Opposing him was no easy task. The emperor's ability was indeed comparable to the power of a god.

“Who the hell is this person?”

Enoch furrowed his brow. It was the same with the last letter; this person L was clearly watching him.

The feeling of being watched was not pleasant, but….

“Well, right. I suppose I know why they sent this crap to me of all people.”

Enoch let out a sardonic laugh.

His childhood.

There was a time when he had harbored the childish dream of personally slitting the emperor's throat.

He could have such a dream because he knew his own strength.

The emperor, who could brainwash ability users at will…

…could do nothing against him, an ability user beyond the standard.

‘But it was just that—a childish dream. A dream I had only in my youth when I knew nothing.’

Revolution isn't something achieved by force alone.

There must be a just cause.

But Enoch had no such cause.

Most of the nobles who would need to join him were beneficiaries of the class system and lived contentedly under the emperor's rule.

“A real madman….”

Knowing nothing….

“Saying this to me is pointless….”

Muttering, Enoch irritably pulled the letter he had shoved into the drawer back out and unfolded it.

His deepened eyes read the letter again and again.

“Who the hell is this person!”

L, who had planted this sudden confusion in his mind.

The letter crumpled in Enoch's hand.

“Stop hiding like a coward and come talk to me in person.”

***

The cowardly daughter was full of worries.

‘Dad must have seen my letter by now, right?’

Would that letter be enough to ignite the blood of a righteous protagonist boiling in my dad's veins…?

“Chessier, are you listening to me?”

“Yeah.”

Watching Chessier, who was preoccupied with feeding Walter, I pouted.

“Liar. What did I say?”

“You said you were upset because the Mister suddenly brought up your mom. You said you don't mind not having a mom, but you're worried about him living alone for the rest of his life.”

“Huh? You heard everything?”

“I told you I was listening.”

Chessier sighed and plopped down beside me.

I just stared at Zephyr, whom I still didn't dare to pet.

“Are you really okay without a mother?”

Chessier asked.

“Yeah, I'm really fine.”

“Then there's no need to worry. The Mister will handle his own affairs. If he finds someone he wants to remarry, he will, and if not, he won't.”

“That's the thing.”

I was about to speak but clamped my mouth shut.

Ever since the sudden talk about my mom yesterday, a new worry had sprouted.

Namely… the protagonists' love lives.

Now that this place had become reality, the protagonists had to continue living even after the original story ended.

The world had found peace, so the protagonists should be happy too.

‘But there's no romance here.’

A blood-spattering revolutionary novel.

*The Dos Rebellion* didn't have a single drop of romance.

Since the original story never described any romantic feelings for the protagonists, I suddenly became afraid.

What if the author hadn't put even a pinch of 'romance' into Dad and Chessier when creating them?

What if they'd poured in heaps of things like revenge, justice, and rebellion, but hadn't given them any 'love'?

I tore at my hair.

‘Can this kid even get married?’

Chessier was looking at me with a blunt expression.

His face practically screamed that he wasn't interested in anything like romance.

“Chessier.”

“What.”

“Don't you need a family?”

“…Again.”

Chessier scowled.

“If you're going to say something weird like I should be your father's son, don't.”

“Ah, right. Not that.”

I clasped my hands together as if in a dream.

“A family that you… that you make with your own will. Your very own family.”

“What's that supposed to mean….”

“Imagine you meet someone you love later on. Then you'd get married, right?”

“…”

“And after getting married and doing this and that, you'd have a baby, right?”

“What on earth are you trying to say?”

“Now, close your eyes! Imagine it!”

“…”

“Close them, quickly!”

When I pressed him, Chessier reluctantly closed his eyes. I leaned in and spoke slowly into his ear.

“You wake up in the morning, and the house is filled with the smell of delicious food. Your beautiful wife calls to you from the kitchen. Honey~ can you change our son's diaper!”

Chessier flinched.

“You go to the baby's room, and there's a cute son who looks just like a mix of you and your wife, smiling. After you change his diaper and give him a bottle, he looks at you and laughs. Da-da, da-da…! Like that.”

“…”

“He's so cute. While you're holding him and bouncing him, your wife comes up from behind and gives you a big hug, just like this.”

I wrapped my arms around Chessier's waist. He, who seemed to be getting into it, flinched again.

“Honey, the weather is so nice today. Should we pack a lunch and go on a picnic?”

“…”

“Dazzling sunlight. The chirping of birds. A babbling brook…. Your son in your arms is going da-da, da-da…. Your wife, in a good mood, smells the flowers and then turns to look at you.”

For some reason, I was even more immersed than Chessier, my eyes sparkling as I looked into the air and clasped my hands as if in prayer.

“Honey, Chessier. I love you. I'm so happy. Let's be happy like this forever, our family.”

When I finished and spun around, Chessier had already opened his eyes.

His expression was strange.

“…How was it? The family I was talking about is just like that.”

“…”

“I asked how it was.”

“…Doesn't sound bad.”

“Really?!”

I jumped to my feet in excitement.

Chessier sat still, lost in thought for a moment longer, then nodded.

“If I could live like that. Then, well.”

“You can!”

I squatted in front of Chessier and clasped his hands.

Is the author watching? This tearful effort of mine, diligently transfusing the romance they forgot to include into the protagonists?

“Chessier.”

“Yeah.”

“Let's... fall in love.”

Chessier's eyes widened.

Leaving him stunned, I stood up, feeling a little lighter.

Then, I rummaged through the carrot basket and said.

“Of course, riding horses, studying hard, and swinging a sword are all good.”

“…”

“But I think what completes a person's life is love.”

I added, habitually holding out a carrot toward Zephyr.

“People who don't know the wonder of love are pitiful. So let's definitely... fall in love, Chessier.”

We stared at each other quietly.

Chessier soon replied.

“…Alright.”

“Hahaha, great.”

*Crunch—*

Just then.

Chessier's eyes widened.

Startled, I stiffly turned my head from Chessier to look behind me.

“Huh? H-huh?”

Zephyr… Zephyr… was eating the carrot I gave him!

I stared blankly at Zephyr, who had quickly devoured the carrot, then turned my gaze back to Chessier.

“Ch-Ch-Chessier. Did you see that? Did you see?”

“Yeah, I saw.”

Chessier quickly approached and opened Zephyr's stall.

“What are you doing?”

“Try petting him.”

“Wh-what? Zephyr?”

“Yeah.”

I gulped and did as Chessier said, slowly petting Zephyr.

“Oh, my goodness.”

Was this the same Zephyr who would act hostile whenever I reached out my hand? He looked like the calmest creature in the world.

As I stood there, stunned and moved, Chessier grabbed a saddle hanging on the wall and approached Zephyr.

“R-ride him? Isn't that a bit….”

Chessier carefully placed the saddle on Zephyr's back. Fortunately, the horse remained calm.

Chessier, looking around with a rare, excited expression, suddenly knelt on one knee.

“Step here and try to get on.”

“Huh?”

“Hurry. Be careful. Grab my shoulder.”

Is this okay? I hesitantly placed a hand on Chessier's shoulder and put my foot on his thigh.

As my body was lifted up, Chessier pushed me the rest of the way onto Zephyr's back.

“Whoa. What? Oh. Oh my gosh?”

I covered my mouth.

…It was a success. Zephyr was still calm.