Reincarnated User Manual

Chapter 249: Preparing For The Hunt

Thus, Eldrina’s welcome party came to an end.

Although Glen, whom she was interested in and wanted to take care of, had to leave early due to health reasons, Eldrina never showed any signs of disappointment or discomfort when dealing with Yuma.

“Hugo has a good wife.”

The next morning, the drunkard who returned to the annex said. Shiron came out to greet Yuma, who reeked of alcohol. Although Lucia returned to the annex before midnight, Yuma was still held by Eldrina and seemed to have spent the morning drinking.

“Does a good person drink until dawn?”

“Isn’t it fine? After all, I’m not human, so I don’t get drunk easily. It’s not strong whiskey, just some wine brewed at the manor. It’s just like water to me.”

“Then there’s no need to help you?”

“I think the drunkenness is catching up to me. My head is throbbing, and my vision is spinning…”

“Stop the drunken talk and come up quietly. I have something to discuss.”

“You live quite frugally.”

Yuma said while looking around. A desk with writing tools. Curtains that block out sunlight. A bed. The room, with just these, gave her a fresh feeling.

“It’s easy to clean.”

“Do you clean it yourself?”

“I don’t like anyone entering my room when I’m not around. More importantly, don’t stand there; have a seat. We have something to talk about.”

“…Understood.”

Instead of the nearby chair, Yuma quietly sat on Shiron’s bed. Shiron locked the door and then pulled up a chair to sit across from Yuma.

“It seems the head of the family has seen the future.”

“…Pardon?”

Yuma, who was stroking the bedspread, was startled.

“Are you saying this suddenly? The head of the family said last time that he had lost his power of foresight…”

“He was absent-minded during dinner, so I suspected it, but after talking with him yesterday, I’m sure.”

“…I’ve served many Prients over hundreds of years, but this is the first time I’ve encountered such a case.”

Yuma hugged a pillow and sighed. The loss of foresight ability, coupled with the head of the family’s disappearance, were unprecedented events in the past 500 years, leaving Yuma’s mind in turmoil.

“Did you ask about the prophecy’s content?”

“I tried, but he wouldn’t tell me.”

“Was he worried it would bring bad luck?”

“If that were the case, he wouldn’t have mentioned wanting to do something.”

Shiron recalled the previous night. Glen, while being supported, had tried to hide his sorrowful expression but couldn’t suppress his fatigue.

“He said he had something to discuss with my uncle.”

“…May I speak candidly?”

Shiron nodded in permission. Yuma took a deep breath, straightened her posture, and began to speak.

“I think the prophecy might be about death.”

“Does he want to reconcile with his brother before he dies?”

“That might be it. Although Hugo dislikes the head of the family now, he took good care of him when they were young.”

“But there’s still quite some time until the expedition ends…”

Shiron mumbled while looking at the calendar on the wall. It had been almost a month since Siriel set out on the expedition.

After Victor reformed the expedition system, Siriel was expected to return in about three months. Considering that the previous expeditions took six months to a year, it was a short period, but Glen’s behavior, as if he had little time left to live, made waiting seem impossible.

‘Do I have to go see Hugo now?’

Shiron glanced at the window towards the training grounds.

‘He doesn’t look like someone about to die.’

There, Glen, who said he wanted to spar with Lucia, was exchanging blows.

Wanting to spar with his daughter as a last wish might seem a bit odd, but Shiron sensed a peculiar atmosphere between Glen and Lucia yesterday.

An awkwardness that made onlookers uncomfortable.

Although he hadn’t heard the details from them, understanding the reason wasn’t hard.

“Young master, does it really not bother you?”

“…What?”

“The fact that Lady Lucia, whom you always thought was your younger sister, is actually Kyrie.”

At some point, Yuma, who was watching the training grounds, spoke.

Although it was unfortunate for Lucia, Yuma reported what had happened at Dawn Castle as soon as she met Shiron.

While it wasn’t exactly a betrayal of trust, Lucia had some trust that Yuma would keep her secret.

Although Kyrie and Yuma didn’t get along, it was 500 years ago, and Yuma had taken on Kyrie’s name without permission, so there was some karma involved.

If she had a conscience, it was ‘human’ decency to keep Lucia’s precious secret, but unfortunately, Yuma was not human, but a demon.

And already, Yuma had given both body and soul to Shiron.

“Embarrassingly, when I first heard about Lady Lucia’s true identity, my whole body went limp, and I collapsed.”

“…That can happen.”

“But you’ve been acting nonchalantly since yesterday. As if it’s a trivial fact. This just makes me feel my lack of discipline even more.”

“…Nevertheless, the fact that Lucia is my younger sister doesn’t change.”

Shiron felt burdened by Yuma’s gaze but managed to keep a straight face.

“And I’m the hero of this era. The fact that Lucia is Lady Kyrie and a hero from 500 years ago doesn’t matter much to me.”

“Young master…”

“So you don’t have to worry about me breaking down, Yuma. Heroes don’t collapse before they die.”

“Young master…!”

Moved by Shiron’s words, Yuma clasped her hands over her chest. Tears welled up in her eyes and started to fall.

“This unworthy Yuma. I will follow you for life. No, I will remember you until the day my life ends, even if you pass away.”

“…Do as you wish.”

Shiron sighed and looked at the training ground where the duel had ended. The ground was deeply dented, and only Lucia stood with a sword in the sandy, windy clearing.

The result of the duel was Lucia’s victory.

‘He has indeed weakened.’

That was Shiron’s impression of Glen. Despite Lucia being Kyrie’s reincarnation, she still lacked compared to Glen in his prime.

Glen could not kill apostles due to his condition, but he had the strength to repeatedly hunt down five apostles alone in the demonic realm.

Facing just one apostle was not an easy task, but he was able to face five alone. Even with the power of prophecy, Glen was achieving what seemed impossible alone.

‘So, the remaining ones are 1, 3, 4, and 6?’

Shiron thought about the whereabouts of the remaining apostles.

‘With Glen leaving the defense of the demonic realm, it wouldn’t be strange if the 1st and 4th apostles attacked anytime now.’

The 3rd apostle operated around the magic tower in the demonic realm. It might be a hasty assumption, but considering his wishes, it wasn’t entirely unreasonable.

The 6th apostle was sealed and spreading disasters from the Arwen Highlands every year.

‘But even so, I can’t ask the weakened Glen to defend the demonic realm again.’

The Makal Mountain Range was long, and the demonic realm was vast enough that it couldn’t be traversed without Glen’s former strong prophetic abilities.

In the end, Shiron had only one option.

‘I have to confront the apostles by any means necessary.’

“Yuma.”

“Yes, young master.”

“Can Dawn Castle prevent the apostles?”

“…I’m not sure.”

Yuma answered uncertainly.

In the early days of Dawn Castle, there were several apostle attacks and conflicts, but after the forces were built up, the head of the Prient family had been handling them. However, even they had never destroyed the apostles’ seats, so Yuma’s uncertainty was understandable.

Demons could be annihilated, but unless the apostles’ seats were destroyed with a holy sword, apostles would infinitely resurrect due to their authority.

This difference created an endless cycle. Shiron patted Yuma’s slumped shoulder.

“With the head of the family here, some apostles must have crossed the mountain range.”

“…”

“If the head of the family predicted his death.”

Shiron thought while rubbing his lips.

“Who would kill him?”

“Are you planning to prevent the head of the family’s death, young master?”

“If possible, I’ll try my best.”

“…If the head of the family truly predicted his own death, the prophecy cannot be avoided.”

“That’s why I’m asking.”

Shiron wanted to stay by Glen’s side all day to prevent his death, but neither he nor Glen knew if Glen would die by someone else’s hand or from old age.

“Could it be a natural death? His frequent nosebleeds suggest his health isn’t great.”

“…The head of the family isn’t even fifty yet. No matter how much he strained his body, it’s not the age to die…”

Yuma couldn’t finish her sentence. She realized from the conversation that Shiron’s resolve had hardened.

Breached security.

Apostles that might have already crossed the mountain range.

“Could it be?”

“Who dares to kill Glen Prient? I don’t think anyone else can harm the head of the family.”

Shiron recalled the duel at the training ground. Though Glen had dropped his sword, his martial prowess was clearly beyond human.

“Prophecies always pointed to apostles. The head of the family isn’t someone who would be poisoned by another.”

Why did Glen want to see Hugo so badly? Before Glen died, Shiron would take him to Hugo, as Glen’s wish was to see Hugo.

“An apostle will appear where Uncle is.”

Constantly thinking, Shiron prepared to leave.