The Regressed Prince Holds Many Secrets-Chapter 178 : Chapter 178

Chapter 178
"Was his name Hebert?"
I smiled brightly.
I was rolling a lozenge around in my mouth.
Outside the barracks, the shouts of 'Shion of Merion, our hero' were still resounding.
"His skill at instigation is no joke."
"Instigation, you say."
Grand Duke Pret stroked his beard.
"The fact that people follow when you speak only the truth is proof that you are a true hero."
"You won't get anything for praising me."
"What more could I possibly want from you?"
Grand Duke Pret chuckled heartily.
Hebert was his subordinate, the leader among the people he had planted in the crowd to make me a hero.
He was so skilled at this kind of work that he wrote the script himself and personally incited the crowd.
He was someone I knew well.
Before my regression, he was useful for boosting morale.
But since I couldn't reveal that I was a regressor, I had to pretend not to know him.
"An official communication has arrived from the Dawn Brotherhood. There will be a regular meeting soon."
Grand Duke Pret patted my shoulder.
With the urgent fire put out, his heart was much more at ease.
"You'll be formally awarded a seat in the Upper House."
"That's faster than I thought. I'm sure there was some opposition."
"Of course there was. But don't you worry. Most are in favor."
The Seventeen Elders were the strength of the West's power.
They were all cautious and deep-minded. To the point of being sinister.
But look at what I had accomplished in just a few days.
It was an achievement more than sufficient to welcome me as one of the Seventeen Elders.
"Ah, joining hands with you was a very wise choice."
Grand Duke Pret forgot his age and laughed with excitement.
"Hero, Shion of Merion!"
"Grand Duke."
I said in a low voice.
"I don't care what happens to my honor. The plan for the Empire is urgent."
"Your existence is the plan for the Empire!"
"Such a carefree thing to say……."
The Grand Duke smiled.
"You'll understand when you get to my age. There's nothing as important as relaxing your shoulders."
"Relaxing my shoulders with a war right around the corner?"
"It's around the corner, but there's nothing to do right now. In that case, you must shed all the more useless tension. We can't let unnecessary tension ruin important work, can we?"
West-Erta was one of the great nations that symbolized the West.
Grand Duke Pret carried such a country on his shoulders.
The words he spoke could not be light.
"Leave the trivial matters to this old man. I'll come for you when the time is right."
Though it won't take more than a few days.
The Grand Duke smiled faintly.
"Go and do what you must, hero."
***
"Shion of Merion, hero!"
Serena pouted her lips.
"Aren't you just so amazing!"
"Serena……."
"Hmph!"
She whipped her head around.
Her black hair swished.
I didn't know what to do and just fidgeted anxiously.
I was the regressed prince who had defeated Niko, but in front of Serena, it was incredibly difficult to calm my heart.
I decided to apologize first.
"I'm sorry."
There was no hesitation in my apology.
Because I had always harbored a feeling of guilt towards Serena.
Even now, if I listened closely, I could hear the sobs of a mother searching for her lost daughter, Poesia, Poesia.
It was all solely my responsibility.
"I brought you here on what was supposed to be a honeymoon, only to leave you alone the whole time……."
"What did you say?"
Serena suddenly turned her head and stared at me with her raspberry-colored eyes.
The color was so beautiful that I almost broke into a silly grin.
If I had, Serena's anger would have soared to no end.
"You're sorry for leaving me alone? Do you really think I'm angry about something like that!?"
She grabbed my collar without hesitation.
"Shion, you! I heard you fought with Niko Nereyades!"
Tears welled up in her raspberry-colored eyes.
"I even heard that before that, you and Amethus charged into the enemy camp alone. How could you do that? Were you determined to make me a living widow?"
"...I'm sorry. But I had no choice."
"You should have at least given me a hint!"
Serena shook me by the collar.
It was a grip unbecoming of a nineteen-year-old girl.
"It would be one thing if I were in Merion, but I was right next to you! Do you know how it feels to hear from a complete stranger that my husband fought for his life against the Whale of Hobel Bay? Even if our marriage was for mutual benefit, it feels like you don't consider me your wife at all!"
“……”
I wanted to say that wasn't true.
I wanted to pour out my desperate heart, the one that had no choice but to find her again even after turning back time.
But this was my secret.
One of my deepest secrets, a flame I had to endure alone.
“……”
So I had to be shameless.
I had to pretend that there was no such flame inside me, that I wasn't in pain at all.
It was something Shion Pollinglight was disgustingly familiar with.
"...You are well aware, Lady Serena."
I lied.
"Why on earth should I have to consider you my real wife?"
I put on the smile of a secret-keeper, as always.
Even though I knew it was cruel to Serena, I had no choice but to say the words that would hurt her the most.
Because I knew of something far crueler.
Because I had learned how miserable a human could become.
As long as Serena didn't have to shed tears of blood from empty eye sockets, I was prepared to be hated as much as necessary.
Even if my own heart was torn to shreds.
"I brought down the Del Contis for you. I resurrected the Verchellos. And can't you hear what people are saying? This Shion of Merion has become a hero."
“……”
"As I become more famous, the Verchellos will prosper. As you said, it was a marriage for profit. So, haven't I provided you with enough profit? There is no reason for you to complain."
A grotesque smile formed on my lips.
"Still, if you're not satisfied, I'll apologize. And of course, I'll treat you as my wife. I can do that much. Now, are you satisfied?"
Serena raised her eyes.
Then she quietly uttered a single word.
"Lies."
It felt like a sharp jab to my heart.
No, my heart was truly, deeply pierced.
It was pierced so painfully that my smooth tongue stopped in its tracks.
"No, what do you mean, lies... I am being sincere……."
"Stop it."
The raspberry-colored eyes looked at me.
Without realizing it, I subtly averted my gaze.
"Amethus told me you're a seasoned liar. That no one could help but be deceived by you."
Serena continued.
"But Shion, did you know? Whenever you lie to me, you always avoid my eyes."
"...That can't be true……."
"No. It has always been so."
She did not back down.
She scanned the deceptively handsome regressed prince from head to toe, his brilliant blond hair and clear blue eyes, the wounds here and there that could not be hidden.
"Liar. A person with many secrets."
Serena's assessment of me was remarkably accurate.
Though I had known her since before my regression, it hadn't even been a year since she had known me.
"I don't know what noble mission you've shouldered, but you're going to keep leaving me behind and wandering around fighting, aren't you? As if your own life means nothing?"
"...You make me sound like a really bad guy."
"Did you just realize?"
Serena stuck out her tongue with a 'bleh'.
I saw the tear stains around her eyes.
I realized that while I was fighting Niko, Serena had been crying alone.
Whatever the reason, my heart ached.
"...But……."
Serena de Verchello's lips quivered.
"You, my husband, you're that kind of person, aren't you, Shion?"
"……Yes, I am that kind of person, Serena."
As I answered with difficulty, I felt something jolt in my heart.
The regressed prince had never thought the day would come when he would feel the emotion of fluttering excitement again, so he didn't know how to explain this feeling.
"Sigh. I thought some good days would finally come now that I've met a good husband, but really……."
Serena let out a deep sigh.
"Go on and live as you please, Shion."
"I'm sorry."
"Stop apologizing! What are you so sorry about after defeating the Whale of Hobel Bay?"
Serena grumbled, her lips pouting.
"I'm being serious. Do what you want to do, Shion."
“……”
"Leave the Verchellos and Merion to me. Understand?"
With me unable to answer, Serena continued.
"Instead, you'd better start valuing your own life! Unless you plan on making me a widow at nineteen!"
Serena was truly spirited.
It was hard to believe she was only nineteen.
So much like before my regression.
I couldn't help but sigh.
'...Ah…….'
A sad light filled my blue eyes.
'...That's right, it was like this back then too. Serena, you were always this kind of person…….'
Thinking of the past that could never return, I realized that my cheeks had turned red, and that I had, once again, fallen for Serena.
It was truly a strange thing for such a ticklish feeling to find its way in even with a fire raging in my heart.
"Oh."
Knock, knock, came a sound at the door.
"You have a lot of guests. I'll be going now."
"No, just a little longer……."
"That's enough. We'll see each other again at the lodgings anyway. Go do your work, hero!"
Serena stuck out her tongue again, then closed the door and disappeared.
I covered my face with my hands.
I couldn't stand how lovely she was.
As I was clutching my reddened face, I heard a slender voice.
"You two seem to be getting along well, Shion."
"...You were safe."
"Of course."
I lifted my head.
Serena was gone, and in her place was a blonde woman.
"Duke Gwaemos is safe too. It's all thanks to you."
Santia Hostanio,
the former 2nd Princess of Cordis.
My half-sister.
"Please wait a moment."
I took out a metal case.
Clink, clank, clink, after a few processes that required no explanation, a magical mist rose.
Their voices were completely blocked.
"You can speak comfortably now, Sister Santia."
"What a convenient tool."
"I spent a lot of gold on it."
I waved my hand.
"More importantly, I'm glad you're safe. And Duke Gwaemos as well."
Santia still looked anxious.
I pulled my chair a little closer and sat down.
"Rest assured. Neither the West nor the Empire will be able to touch you or Duke Gwaemos."
Santia was the daughter of Emperor Continua.
The Empire had tried to frame the West for her murder to gain a pretext for war.
But because of me, their plan was exposed instead.
"From the West's perspective, you are a witness who proves how cruel and inhuman the Empire is. They will cherish you and treat you more precisely than most royalty."
“……”
"The Empire won't be able to touch you anymore either. There are still many on that side who revere Emperor Continua, aren't there? The rumor that they tried to assassinate you has already spread, which must have put my brother Ferbias in a difficult position."
I couldn't hold back my laughter.
The image of my half-brother, Ferbias Caseptus, stomping around in a rage, drew itself in my mind.
"……Zionis."
"I don't like that name."
"May I ask just one thing……?"
"Go ahead."
I nodded.
Santia's lips parted.
"……Why did you save me?"
“……”
Even for someone like me, it was not a question I could answer easily.
Santia had already noticed that I hated the Cordis Empire and that I didn't particularly hold any affection for my siblings.
That's why she had to ask.
“……”
I was lost in thought for a moment.
After choosing my words carefully, I looked up at Santia.
Instead, I posed a question.
"Sister Santia."
"Yes."
"Do you know what my favorite food was when I was a child?"
"...Hmm, I don't remember well……."
Santia wracked her brain.
It had already been seven years since she had last seen me.
But his favorite food, it didn't come to mind easily.
However, as she groaned and struggled, faint memories began to surface.
"...I'm not sure, but didn't you like sweet snacks or bread?"
Once she remembered one thing, another followed quickly.
Santia soon smiled and clapped her hands.
"That's right, that's right! You liked pumpkin pie. The head pastry chef of the Great Imperial Palace used to complain that he had to bake pumpkin pie every day because of you."
"That is the reason."
I felt the Zionis inside my heart.
I thought I had erased him completely, but he always popped out from unexpected places like this.
"In that wide Great Imperial Palace, no one but you knew what I liked."
“……”
"...No, that punk Pies might have known."
He betrayed me too and died by my hand……. I swallowed the painful words.
Instead, I put on a smile.
"And there is one other reason, but that is a secret."
I placed my index finger on my lips.
"Now, forget about a guy like me and keep your distance. It's time for you to be happy, isn't it? You're newlyweds."
“……”
Santia wanted to ask if the same didn't apply to me.
But Shion's smile, the liar's smile, had not a single crack. It was clear that whatever she said would not be heard, so she didn't say it.
The regressed prince grinned crookedly.
"Duke Gwaemos is frivolous, but he is not a bad person. So please, be happy, Sister Santia."