RGS Volume 3 Part 6

He couldn’t tell if he actually said those words or not.

Exhausted just from the effort of opening his eyes, Abel found himself unable to do anything more. Just when he managed to meet his gaze a little longer, his vision abruptly closed again.

I need to rest a bit more and then open my eyes again. Just a little bit more…

His mind sank into darkness like sinking into a swamp.

And how much time had passed? It felt like just a moment had passed. Though brief, the short respite rejuvenated his weary mind, much like when one rests on a rock after climbing a difficult mountain, only to find renewed strength. His ears were the first to react. The surroundings were bustling with multiple voices.

“No, if you promised to guard diligently, you should have guarded the entrance! You just stood there idly watching the fire?!”

“That’s right! What would have happened if some wolf-like sinister b*stard could have entered and harmed our young master!”

Following the angry voices of the two, a timid voice responded.

“I thought one of you was inside the tent. Sir, both of you were also just watching! We all met there peacefully!”

Huh! Ugh! A gasp followed by a gulp was heard. Abel, recognizing the familiar angry voices, struggled to lift his heavy eyelids to confirm.

As expected, it was Melmond and the butler, both with stern expressions. Facing them was a soldier in his early thirties. Despite his short stature, his stocky build seemed somewhat familiar. After a moment of tense silence between them, Melmond cleared his throat.

“Ahem. Well, I wasn’t exactly just watching. The flames were quite mesmerizing, you see. Ahem. But more importantly, isn’t it a fact that Abel was left alone? If he were to regain consciousness now, he wouldn’t appreciate being left unattended like this! Look, lying there defenseless, anyone could have—.”

Melmond pointed at Abel with his hand, emphasizing how dangerous it was to leave the tent empty. But then, he made eye contact with someone. Green eyes that were half-opened with great effort.

“……”

“……”

Melmond turned his head. And as he recalled what he had just seen, he quickly checked again. This time, he saw it clearly. Eyes that were completely open and blinking.

“Ah! Abel…”

However, before he could even express his surprise, someone ran out first, pushing him aside.

“Y-Young master!!!!!”

The butler cried out loudly enough for the tent to fly away and burst into tears in an instant.

“Abel, are you okay? Huh? Are you awake? Do you know who I am?”

Abel nodded his head and looked back and forth between the butler and Melmond.

“Wait? The prince was here, right here.”

“The prince? You’ve been unconscious for over ten days since being shot with an arrow in Crimson Valley.”

As Melmond explained, Abel finally recalled when he had collapsed.

Crimson Valley. Yes, that’s where the rocks came crashing down… Wait? Suddenly, he couldn’t breathe. The memory came flooding back vividly. The deafening roar from above him, and the shaking ground beneath his feet.

About to fall off the cliff, or rather, already falling, were the rocks. And naturally, he himself, should have died. Yet he was alive. Only bearing the wounds from the arrow. Abel could only think of one reason. As the shock registered on his face, Melmond, noticing, asked with concern.

“What’s wrong? Where does it hurt? Huh?”

“…Mr. Melmond.”

“Yes. What?”

“Me.”

“Yes, what about you?”

Unable to bear it any longer, Melmond’s green eyes shook. Everyone was shocked by the words that came out of Abel’s mouth.

“I, I think I’ve been reincarnated again!”

⊹˚. ♡.𖥔 ݁ ˖ ⊹˚. ♡.𖥔 ݁ ˖

Ashler’s mind was in turmoil as he lay down. Even if he wasn’t Abel’s reincarnation, the fact that someone appeared to help Karas but was still unconscious was quite concerning. He was worried that if Abel were to die, it would only worsen Karas’ mood. After seeing the fake Abel so many times, Karas’s inner world had become as dry as a desert.

There were no more wounds to endure.

What if Abel approached him again and ended up dying just like that?

He felt anxious at the thought that this might be the last chance to change Karas.

Why wasn’t he waking up, though? The wound on his arm was healing.

“Captain Ashler!”

Suddenly, he heard his name. Ashler sighed inwardly. Then he slowly raised his body, which had been half lying on the bed. There was only one person who would call him that. In fact, he already knew that Nani would come. He had heard a report from his soldier a while ago that there was a commotion because the fire in the bonfire suddenly grew stronger. Nani must have witnessed it directly. So, he probably came to deliver such useless news…

“He, he woke up!”

Ashler’s hand, which was about to throw a dagger at Nani, stopped.

Woke up? There was only one person who could be the subject of this word.

Could it be? As he stood up straight, the excited Nani rushed into the tent.

“Oh, oh… Ashler, he woke up! He… the young master has awakened.”

Nani was about to shout out that he was a fairy, but quickly lowered his voice towards the end. Then, with a face full of uncontrollable laughter, he waved his hand.

“Come on, I’m serious, Captain Ashler!”

“What is it?”

Is there a problem with him waking up? Just as he was about to worry, an answer came.

“Really, really, really, really beautiful!”

“…..”

“When he moves and speaks, it’s, it’s, wow, it really makes my heart flutter! Hehe, I feel like I’m falling in lo-“

Swoosh.

Ashler unsheathed his sword halfway. Fortunately, the quick-witted Nani quickly hid his expression and stepped back.

“Ahem, um, I came to report that the fairy has finally awakened.”

Ashler glanced at Nani for a moment and started walking. Finally, he could confirm. Whether he was really Abel’s reincarnation or just a fraud who deceived even Melmond. But as Ashler was about to leave, Nani hurriedly added something.

“By the way, he said he have been reincarnated.”

“I know.”

“No, he said he have been reincarnated again. Wow, isn’t that amazing? Reincarnating right after dying. It seems like he has a reincarnation constitution.”

What kind of constitution? Ashler’s hope turned into anxiety.

⊹˚. ♡.𖥔 ݁ ˖ ⊹˚. ♡.𖥔 ݁ ˖

Melmond couldn’t possibly answer Abel’s question. All he could do was ask back.

“Who?”

“The Commander-in-Chief.”

“……”

“I clearly saw the Commander-in-Chief coming in through the cliff at that time. Is the commander-in-chief safe?”

Melmond had never thought of himself as someone who lacked insight, but he had no other words to say.

“……Who?”

Abel pronounced it again more clearly as if he was frustrated.

“The Commander-in-Chief.”

When Melmond couldn’t answer either, Abel’s face darkened.

“So, he really died? I’m the only one who reincarnated. Ugh.”

With a face full of worry, Abel suddenly clutched his chest and stooped his barely-standing upper body. Melmond finally regained his confused mind with the word “Commander-in-Chief.”

The butler tried to comfort Abel by skillfully examining his condition and wiping his sweat. With eyes glaring at Melmond, he shouted out.

“Don’t shock our young master!”

Not knowing if it was “commander” or “chief” that was being referred to, Melmond felt unjustly treated. However, Abel’s health came first. Considering his weakened body due to the arrow wounds, his mind needed to be handled even more delicately than usual. Melmond decided to put aside his doubts for now and focus on going along with the conversation. He vaguely felt that “commander” referred to Karas, too.

So, if the emperor was indeed there, couldn’t Abel really recognize him?

“No, you’re not the only one who survived.”

Then suddenly, Abel’s head jerked up. His surprised green eyes quickly filled with hope.

“So, the Commander-in-Chief also reincarnated!”

Reincarnation was treated more commonly than a neighborhood dog. Melmond felt a lump in his throat. Seeing that absurd innocence, he keenly felt that Abel had truly returned.

“It’s not reincarnation. When we arrived at the valley, someo…someone you mentioned was holding you. Perhaps that person saved you?”

“What? But the rocks fell from above my head.”

When Abel objected in confusion, Melmond was also taken aback.

Rocks fell from above? He tilted his head and thought of the valley.

“No, if rocks fell in the valley, there should be traces, but there weren’t any signs of rocks falling due to an attack.”

Thump, thump.

Abel pressed his chest again and breathed heavily. Then, abruptly, the butler looked at him sternly. Melmond quickly opened his mouth and tried to rectify the situation.

“Haha, why worry about such things? You probably just hallucinated when you fainted. You were shot with an arrow. It’s common to experience hallucinations when you lose a lot of blood. You must have seen it wrong.”

Is that so? Abel still didn’t understand, but the butler testified that he had witnessed the same thing as Melmond.

“I see. I must have been mistaken…then I haven’t reincarnated again. Hehe.”

Although he smiled outwardly, there seemed to be a lack of energy in his demeanor.

“Are you disappointed because you didn’t reincarnated again?”

Melmond asked in confusion, and Abel shook his head with a smile.

“No, I thought it was a sign that I had survived twice, so I should go and see the prince.”

“The prince has already… Hm, well, it’s still possible to meet him now.”

He was about to say that the Commander he met was the prince, but when he saw Abel’s pale face, he furrowed his brows. But if it were him, he would have nodded and say he would meet him right away. However, this guy just smiled without a word again. Melmond remembered how Abel always laughed whenever he was in trouble.

“You’re not going to meet him?”

“No.”

Melmond was at a loss for words at his easy response.

Wasn’t this the guy who had rushed to the battlefield shouting only for the prince? Finally managing to ask, “Why?” Abel habitually glanced at the empty space.

“Rather than causing unnecessary confusion by appearing as someone who got reincarnated, I’d like to offer my help without meeting him.”

“Is that what you thought when you saw the fake Abel in the valley?”

Suddenly, another voice interjected with a question. Everyone was startled and turned their heads to see Ashler standing at the entrance. Abel expressed his pleasure at seeing Ashler’s appearance for the first time since his reincarnation.

“Sir Ashler! It’s truly a pleasure to see you again. I’m glad to meet you once more.”

Abel greeted warmly. However, Ashler stared back with a stern expression.

“So, you’re saying there’s no such thing as reincarnation?”

His inquiry was sharp and probing. Abel was taken aback but soon nodded.

“Yes. If it is known that I have been reincarnated, the people in the King’s Heart will try to torment the prince even more. They’ll say I am a fake, and they can claim that the person they present is the real reincarnation. Then the prince will be even more confused.”

“He no longer a prince, but an Emperor now.”

Ashler stated coldly, intentionally harsh.

“Is that truly the only reason? Are you not fleeing out of fear that His Majesty might not recognize you as Abel and chase you away? Or perhaps…”

Ashler scrutinized Abel’s face with a cold gaze before adding.

“You are not the real Abel.”

Melmond, who had been listening from the side, was about to say something, but Abel spoke first, with a smile on his face as if he was happy to see him.

“Wow, you look similar to when I first saw you. Back then, you were so intimidating, asking why I was alone and where Lord Regas was.”

Ashler vaguely recalled that such a thing had really happened in Abel’s words. However, the memories from a long time ago were blurry, so he still had doubts. Then Abel scratched his head.

“To me, the events of 12 years ago are memories from a few months ago. Thanks to that, they are still vivid. When we went into the forest together to find the prince, even when you got trapped in the fog when you let go of my hand, you still let go out of consideration. And when you guided me when I took the prince and ran away.”

“……”

“By the way, I didn’t properly thank you last time. Even though things went wrong, I shamelessly asked you to stay by the prince’s side.”

Nodding, Abel bowed his head and expressed his gratitude for the last time he hadn’t properly thanked Ashler.

“Thank you. Thank you for continuing to stay by the prince’s side.”