Reincarnated User Manual

Chapter 268: Victor (3)

They danced to the music. It had definitely started with Siriel, but before Shiron knew it, he was stepping along with Lucia.

The fact that he “snapped out of it” meant there was a reason for that.

“Is it boring?”

Lucia looked up at Shiron as they stepped together.

“Should we stop?”

“…The music hasn’t ended yet.”

Only then did Shiron, who had been absent-minded, glance down. He saw her slightly pouting face and her pale chest.

“Then, since we’re already dancing, why don’t we enjoy it?”

“I am enjoying it.”

Lucia snorted and turned her head aside. Her gaze landed on the terrace where Glen and Siriel were chatting.

“Why else would Siriel give you up to me? It’s because you’re dancing like a mechanical golem, isn’t it?”

“I feel bad now.”

“…Why are you like this?”

Lucia glanced at Shiron’s legs.

“Are your legs hurting?”

“No, it’s not that.”

“Then?”

“I was just thinking.”

Shiron lifted his head toward the crowd. Being half a head taller than most people, he could easily see a couple dancing without any obstruction.

Victor was smiling brightly, while Louise had a bitter smile. Shiron confirmed the meaning behind Lucia’s words about dancing without enjoyment from them.

Lucia also turned her head to follow Shiron’s gaze, but she was too short to see what was there.

“What are you looking at?”

“You’re unusually curious today, aren’t you?”

“We… are we strangers now? Are we strangers?”

“Lower your voice. People are staring.”

“…Anyway, even after the expedition, you’re still deep in thought. Didn’t we kill two apostles? Isn’t this supposed to be a time to relax?”

“That’s what I thought.”

Shiron sighed deeply and spun Lucia around. He held her shoulder tightly, pulling her close so her face pressed against his chest.

Though flustered by his sudden, aggressive movement, it was all to share a secret. An invisible wall surrounded them where their bodies touched.

“Hey.”

“…W-What do you want to talk about?”

Lucia, her face flushed, asked cautiously. She sensed the magical barrier around them, but despite the atmosphere, her heart pounded when she realized where her face was resting.

“What will happen if the empire falls?”

“…What?”

Her excitement quickly subsided. Thinking Shiron was joking, she frowned, but when she looked up, his face was deadly serious.

“What is this? Are you predicting something?”

“Not exactly, but today I had a feeling that the empire is going to collapse soon.”

“Why are you saying something so scary?”

Lucia trembled and swallowed hard. Shiron carefully picked his words, knowing that even though it was Lucia, openly badmouthing a friend was not a good look.

“Remember when I was with Louise?”

“Are you talking about when we were in the labyrinth?”

“Yeah, but something felt off between them.”

“…”

“At first, I thought it was just jealousy or an affection deficit, but it wasn’t.”

‘What’s he talking about now?’

Lucia tilted her head in confusion. She thought this might have to do with the apostle they hadn’t dealt with or the resurrection of the Demon God, but now he was bringing up someone else’s love life, which left her feeling deflated.

But Lucia knew what Shiron was getting at. Over the past month, she had spent a lot of time with Louise, who had locked herself in her room, and had seen the bitterness in her heart firsthand.

“Is Victor the problem?”

“Do you think so too?”

“…It seems like Victor doesn’t like Louise much. Seeing as they don’t have children yet, even if the empire doesn’t fall, their bloodline will probably end.”

“Wow, sharper than I thought.”

“Are you underestimating me?”

Lucia grinned and poked Shiron in the side.

Just then, the music ended, and with Victor’s final words of congratulations, the banquet came to a close.

Though Shiron rarely attended banquets, this one felt particularly dull to him.

Shiron lay on his bed as soon as he got home. He wasn’t one to feel comfortable without washing before bed, but since he wasn’t going to sleep, he didn’t mind.

“…”

After a moment of thinking, Shiron pulled out an old notebook from his chest pocket.

It was the notebook he had written when he was younger, after getting knocked out by Lucia.

It contained notes from when his memories of his past life were still vivid, and given how twisted his fate had become, he hadn’t had any reason to look at it.

But even so, Shiron opened the notebook. The pages flipped until they stopped at the entry titled [Victor, the Holy Flame].

[While the 1st and 2nd Princes fought, the 3rd Prince, Victor, bided his time and quietly gained strength.]

‘That’s not it.’

[After Hugo’s death, either Lucia or Siriel would become the Empire’s greatest swordsman.]

‘No, that’s not it either.’

[One of the 1st or 2nd Princes would become Emperor. The one who lost in the power struggle would assassinate the Emperor, and Victor would step in to fill the vacant throne.]

[The Prince who was sure he’d become Emperor killed his father, became an apostle, and set the Imperial Palace ablaze…]

“…Ah.”

As Shiron read through the notebook, a realization struck him like lightning.

“What’s wrong?”

Latera approached him quietly and asked, but Shiron didn’t bother answering. After all, the future had already changed, so what was the point?

In the original Reincarnation of the Sword Saint, Victor’s private life was never illuminated. There had been no need to poke around in the Emperor’s affairs, especially since he had provided both funds and equipment.

That was what Shiron had thought, at least, before opening the notebook.

The burnt-down Imperial Palace.

The reason Shiron had dismissed Louise Bisconti as merely the lady of a minor noble house was due to more complicated reasons than he initially thought.

‘She was already dead.’

Shiron put the notebook away.

‘So, Victor lived his whole life as a bachelor.’

In Reincarnation of the Sword Saint, the story ended with the death of the Demon God. There was no continuation, so it was impossible to know what happened to the supporting characters, not just the main ones.

Shiron turned his head and met a pair of violet eyes.

“Latera.”

“Yes, Hero.”

“Can divine power cure homosexuality as well?”

“…What are you up to this time?”

Latera looked at Shiron with half-closed eyes.

“Are you going to perform physical therapy like last time? Shouting ‘Gay Slash!’ while stabbing the gay emperor with a holy sword?”

“…”

“That’s enough jokes. I fully understand your feelings, Hero.”

Ahem.

Latera cleared her throat and smiled brightly to lighten the mood.

“If you improve the relationship between Louise and Victor, even if it doesn’t raise your accomplishments, it’ll surely boost your status points.”

“Is marriage counseling part of the hero’s duties too?”

“It’s just one way to go about things. It’s probably worth more than throwing bread at a beggar, don’t you think?”

Shiron already knew that status points weren’t something that simply increased through good deeds.

Latera continued.

“Of course, the best way to raise your points is still to stand tall as a hero.”

“Marriage counseling seems like a good idea.”

“…Are you serious?”

“I’m just a bit shy.”

Shiron chuckled as he headed toward the bathroom. It was time to become Cupid of love.

The next morning.

Shiron descended the stairs with his hood on.

Maybe it was because he had made up his mind, but he slept soundly without any restlessness and felt refreshed.

Perhaps it was also because he had a conversation with the Holy Sovereign, but what mattered was that he was in a good mood.

“Master Shiron? Are you not going to have breakfast?”

He encountered a maid from the guesthouse. It wasn’t Encia or Ophilia. They were both currently at Dawn Castle with Yuma.

“I’m heading out for the day. Let Lucia and Siriel know.”

“Yes, understood.”

“And Father?”

“He’s in the main house.”

Receiving her answer, Shiron set out to find Glen. But Glen wasn’t his goal.

In the distance, he spotted two middle-aged men and a silver-haired nun.

“What? You’re going to open a bakery?”

“I can’t wield a sword anymore, so I’ve been thinking about how to make a living. I don’t want to rely on my children too much.”

“But Glen, with your swordsmanship, many people would still be willing to hire you.”

“You know, brother. I feel sick just looking at swords.”

“Oh my.”

Shiron tapped Seira’s shoulder, who was happily chatting away.

Seira and the others all turned to look at him simultaneously.

“Shiron, what’s the matter?”

“Uncle. I’m sorry to interrupt, but I need to borrow her for a moment.”

“Need her?”

Seira turned and asked, and Shiron gestured for her to stand up.

“Hey. Come with me somewhere.”

“Where are we going?”

“Night Trail.”

“Brother, what is the Night Trail?”

“…It’s a filthy place where all kinds of scum roam.”

Hugo spoke disapprovingly, but Glen’s eyes sparkled with interest. He approached Shiron, stretching his back.

“Shiron. Can’t I come with you? I’d love to see how filthy those scum really are…”

“You cannot.”

“…”

Glen looked wounded by the swift rejection and sat down next to Hugo in dejection.

“Even if you look pitiful, I’m not taking you.”

Shiron spoke to Glen with a bitter expression.

“It’s not a place for grown-ups.”

“Grown-ups? Then what about Siriel and Lucia?”

“It’s not for kids either.”

“…?”

Seira hesitantly pulled the hood over her head as Shiron handed it to her. If it was not for kids or adults, then what about her?

Night Trail was where filthy scum roamed. A neighborhood where the worst kinds of people gathered.

Among those places, there was one spot where the filthiest gathered, a place known as a brothel.

After walking down a smoky alley, they briefly entered a shop under Seira’s guidance.

“Shopkeeper, is this stuff really effective?”

Shiron, with a serious expression, looked at the chubby middle-aged man. He had dark skin and a large nose. His fingers were adorned with numerous gold rings, making him look like the most unsavory character Shiron had ever seen.

“Of course, sir.”

The man, sensing that Shiron wasn’t an ordinary customer, rubbed his hands together. His hospitality was practiced, as it seemed several nobles frequented this place.

“Once inhaled, it induces a dizzying sensation, stripping off their clothes without being asked, and making them pledge themselves as a slave without any threats… It’s a powerful aphrodisiac that drives women mad.”

“And men?”

“…Pardon?”

“I asked if it works on men too.”

What’s with this guy? The fat man took a step back from Shiron. The hair on his arms stood on end, and cold sweat dripped down his back.

Occasionally, he encountered customers like this. Men with peculiar preferences who desired other men. But despite the revulsion welling up inside him, he couldn’t afford to turn away a customer. Feeling the tension rise in his gut, he cautiously replied.

“O-Of course, it works on men too…”

“I’ll take them all.”

Shiron smiled and nodded.

“…Who are you planning to use it on?”

Seira looked at Shiron with a terrified expression. She had guided him here, but now she regretted it.

Shiron responded with a satisfied smile.

“Don’t worry, it’s not for you.”

“Then who?”

“I’m going to use it to save the empire.”

Seira had no idea what Shiron was talking about.