Re:Zero - Jobless Reincarnation: Succubus Sword God? I don't recognize it!

Chapter 583 The New Apostle of Gods and Humans in the Mist
The words on the letter in my hand looked familiar.

It just looks familiar.

Paul had even forgotten what his father's handwriting should look like.

Philip stared at Paul for a long time.

The latter hadn't had time to groom his hair in the past two years; his brown hair fell in front of him, obscuring his eyes.

He finally stepped forward and patted him on the shoulder:

Let's focus on what's in front of us first.

"Philip."

"Ok?"

"What do you think the old man was thinking when he wrote this letter?"

Paul looked up, trying to appear calm, clearly realizing that he now represented Notos, not the dejected adventurer who had been helped by Philip to settle in the village of Buena.

But she's still not good at hiding her emotions.

The sadness, confusion, helplessness, and regret that Philip tried to hide in his eyes were clearly visible.

For Paul in this timeline, aside from Senis's illness, the only unresolved issue was that his father had never reconciled with him until his death.

Allen once asked Paul what he would think of Rudy, Senis, and his unborn child if he were to die.

Paul's response at that time placed him in the position of a father, and the two years of wandering and displacement made him understand more and more what the passing of his loved ones meant to him.

As a father, he longed to see Rudy settle down and start a family, to see his children go to school and embrace their own lives.

When we're old, sitting together around a table to eat will surely be a wonderful scene.

If you didn't see it.
No, there is no if.

With a cure found, Rudy's future is bright, and one of the two children who should have been raised has miraculously grown into the adult he is today.

Everything is perfect.

So, could he be considered a decent father, even if only by a small margin?
As a father, everything is perfect.
Right?

"What freedom? Who's a child anymore? Really."

Paul had no intention of drawing any conclusions from Philip.

He is now a qualified father.

He naturally understood why his father kept talking about his runaway son until his last breath.

In that short time, Gilead had knocked all the Nothos unconscious and was now opening the window, calling for the servants in the garden to clean up the bodies and the mess.

Aisha, who was standing to the side, looked away from Paul's expression and the letter in his hand, and then looked at Vans' broken neck.

The timing doesn't match. If Fan Si came to the capital to see his father, the journey from here to Milpotts would take at least a month, making his arrival too early.
But if it was the work of a god or mortal, it wouldn't be as plausible as the explanation given when he met the king to abolish his father's position as head of the family.
In the course of a plan, there can only be three apostles at the same time. It is impossible for a god to waste one on such an insignificant person and then kill him so easily.

Vance's actions convinced him that his Uncle Philip could not kill him, thus allowing the Notos people of his own clan to stand completely against his father. His behavior also proved that he had misjudged his brother's current influence after all his efforts.
No, this is a two-pronged approach.

In the event that he really died, the contingency plan he left in Notos was probably that his own son could unite with his own family to oppose Boreas and his father.

He still achieved his goal.

Typical politician thinking.

Moreover, the most crucial thing is
If a divine apostle appears here, there will be one less on my brother's side.

Aisha's mind flashed through the names of past apostles of gods and humans: Hades Bita, the King of the Dragon Kingdom, the High Priest of the Temple of Milis, and even the weakest among them was the Northern King Obel.

Chi Chi
Blood splattered from the severed neck, staining the newly laid carpet crimson.

Fan Si was pitifully weak.

Even if we reverse the process using the 'butterfly effect' that my brother often talked about, it still wouldn't affect my brother's actions from afar.

Aisha lowered her eyes and thought:

It seems I was overthinking it.
Brother, you must successfully bring Sister Alice back from your trip north this time!
-

"This return trip was so smooth, it felt like a dream. Don't you think, Sarah? It was like a hero descending from the heavens."

Unlike the capital, the far north is a different place. On a crisp early winter morning, the sun slowly rises on the distant horizon. The sunlight, which should bring warmth, does nothing to dispel the chill of the long night, offering only some visual comfort.

Even so, Susanna moved her almost frozen wrists and looked at the people in the distance, leaning against a tree in the sunlight, sitting in front of a fire to boil snow water to drink, and felt a warm feeling in her heart.

That's incredibly lucky.

The journey of the Arrow of Countermeasures to Silver Dragon Snow Valley came to an end three days ago. They traveled for three days and three nights on the return trip of about 100 to 200 kilometers.

Unhappy.

Even for adventurers, it was considered slow.

Of course, the carriage breaking down was one factor, but the bad weather was another.

The amazing hero could only briefly change the weather with unimaginable magical abilities, but often a new blizzard would arrive with the dark clouds within an hour.

Over time, everyone understood his trick: he probably used magic to evaporate the dark clouds overhead. However, the early arrival of the blizzard season meant that cold air carrying icy moisture was blowing in continuously from the distant icy sea.

After repeating this several times, he seemed to get bored and stopped doing this meaningless thing. He only used the magic trick when clearing the way or when setting up camp at night.

For example, right now:

In Susanna's eyes, what basis did the blazing flame in front of the man have?

In the blizzard, no dry firewood could be found to start a fire.

But who said a fire must rely on firewood to burn all night?

It rose so easily out of thin air, its heat pulsating, dispelling the chill of the entire night, and was very pleasant.

It burned steadily under the unfathomable magical skills of the white-haired man, and was kept alive by a massive amount of magical power.

“Patrice is dead.” Sarah looked away and lowered her head to reply.

Susanna turned her gaze to Sarah's complex expression. A fleeting look of confusion crossed her eyes, but it quickly turned into a smile as she reached out and patted the head of the youngest member of her adventurer team.

"Sarah, haven't we said this many times before? When we became adventurers, we were all mentally prepared. I understand how you feel, but you have to learn to accept it and keep looking forward."

Over the years, Timothy and I have lived like this. Our teammates have come and gone, and it's rare for anyone to emerge unscathed. There are always unexpected events waiting for us. For adventurers, it means living each day to the fullest, enjoying the moment, accumulating as much wealth as possible, and then retiring gracefully.

She tilted her head and looked at the captain of the fire magicians: "You think so too, Timothy?"

Timothy, who had been gazing at 'Reiner' in the distance, seemed to suddenly realize something when he was called upon, and raised an eyebrow to ask:

"what?"

Susanna frowned, as if she felt that the other person had been absent-minded a lot on the way: "Patrice. We were talking about those people from five years ago. Patrice is gone, and now only you and I are left."

Timothy paused, looking down at the snow water he had just boiled in front of him. After a long while, he spoke:
"Well, who told him to be unlucky? Adventurers are just worthless, aren't they? Do you think everyone is so lucky to be born into a noble family? In the world of adventurers, what's valuable is the loot after clearing out monsters, not human lives."

Susanna glanced at Timothy in surprise.

"Timothy! What do you mean by 'worthless life'?" Sarah stood up and shouted indignantly.

Timothy pursed his lips and didn't reply.

Sarah, however, was determined to question him, but Susanna quickly stopped her.

Timothy seemed overwhelmed and awkwardly dodged Sarah, while Sarah circled around Susanna and kept criticizing Timothy for being irresponsible as captain. She said that Patrice was usually his biggest supporter, so why was she so indifferent now?
Five meters away, the magic swordsman named 'Reiner' had boiled the snow water. He glanced at the commotion over there, a strange smile playing on his lips.

Then it was time for breakfast.

First, a bowl of hot water was filled in a pine wood bowl that had been dug up, and then the boiling water was inverted and placed on top of the pot using an iron pot lid borrowed from Dilik.

He took out a tarpaulin package from his bag and used a dagger to cut a piece of the rich, milky cheese inside.

The dagger taps the edge of the pot, leaving cheese on the lid. As it heats up, the cheese melts, releasing a rich, creamy aroma.

He carefully took out another piece of tarpaulin from his pocket, opened it, and inside was the hind leg meat of the Cold-Clad Porcupine Demon, smoked over charcoal.

—This is the 'dried rations' that his family made for him on the afternoon he left, using fire magic and speed-up techniques. Everyone knows that he doesn't like the dry bread and bean paste that adventurers usually keep on hand; he's quite picky about food, preferring the finest and most refined dishes.

So I quickly prepared some flavorful meat dishes to feed him on his journey.

After everything was ready, it was time to leave. Of course, no children were born. No children were born. Partly because the suggestion was too absurd, and partly because it was too unlucky.

Who goes on a long trip and drags everyone's husbands along to "leave a seed"? Isn't that just wishing your own husband would die already? Tch.
The white-haired man sliced ​​a piece of meat as thin as a cicada's wing, but instead of sticking it into the hot pan with a dagger and shaking it to heat it up, he knew that would ruin the flavor of the smoked meat.

He lightly dipped some of the bubbling, steaming cheese into his mouth.

The aroma of milk mixed with the aged flavor of marinating fills the mouth and nose, leaving a lingering fragrance that awakens the taste buds. It can be swallowed without much chewing, thus preserving the flavor between the lips and teeth.

My wives are really good cooks.
Um... However, it seems that Aisha was in charge of making the smoked meat.

Hmm, my wives are really good cooks.

However, it's a little too sweet.

He picked up two more matsutake mushrooms from under the pine trees at his feet. Adventurers didn't like to eat them, always thinking they tasted like wood chips, but he could actually get used to them.

The water balloon, made using water magic, is washed, then sliced ​​thinly and briefly sizzled over a flame. The aroma of mushrooms is released, and the surface is coated with golden juices. The meat slices are then dipped in cheese and placed in the mouth.

The soft, juicy matsutake mushroom slices burst open in your mouth, releasing a burst of woody juice that softens the saltiness of the smoked meat, complemented by a touch of cheese sweetness.

Hey, that's it!

“I’m telling you, even if you look at me like that, I won’t share any meat with you, Dilire.”

'Leiner' mumbled between bites.

Beside him, Dilik, his hair disheveled, sat by the floating fireball, warming his hands by the fire, staring intently at the white-haired man for a full hour.

"It wouldn't hurt to share a piece, you have plenty of meat."

"No distinction."

"You're a bit stingy. Just kidding."

"Jokes won't work; if we're not breaking up, we're not breaking up."

Dirich:
For the past three days, he had tried his best to get closer to this mysterious and powerful person, only to find that the other party's personality was not as unapproachable as he had imagined. On the contrary, he was quite peaceful, easygoing, and would even joke with him from time to time.
So he tried his best to match the other person's tone and keep up with the conversation in order to please them.

But who's going to keep eyeing the meat in your hand? What I value is you as a person!
He was so anxious about the meat. All the attempts to get close to him, the promises of money, and the power he wielded along the way were completely useless!
Is this some kind of reclusive master who lives in seclusion? How can he be so indifferent to money?

Dilik took a deep breath.

"Um...did you also harbor some interest in my master while you were inquiring about the Human God Cult along the way?"

The white-haired man replied while eating, "You're overthinking it. I'm only interested in the Human God Cult itself, but I didn't expect you to know so little about the enemy."

The commotion from the carriage nearby subsided slightly.

'Reiner' glanced at the other end, then smiled and looked at Dirich:
"You and your master had just arrived in Basheland when your master said he was going to recruit some talented people. But in the blink of an eye, he was kidnapped right under your noses. Afterwards, you didn't even see his face clearly. He just used the Adventurers' Guild to blackmail you into coming to Silver Dragon Snow Valley to find some dragon scales."

They don't sound like reliable masters at all. Don't they even have the basic ability to protect themselves? Seriously, you guys just come because we tell you to?

If it were me, I'd fight them to the death. I don't care if my master dies; what matters is saving face.

Dilik paused upon hearing this, and even though he knew the other person was joking, his expression was still quite unpleasant.

After a long pause, he gritted his teeth with a conflicted expression, glanced at the adventurers arguing nearby, and quickly whispered in 'Reiner's' ear:
"To be honest, my master is actually the crown princess of the Kingdom of Asura. If you can support her, I can promise you anything you want in the future. Judging from your skills, you must be some reclusive 'Grand Magister' from the Duchy of Basheland, right?"

I never imagined your swordsmanship was so superb, your talent so outstanding. It would be a waste of your talent to leave you in the extreme cold. I think Asura in the south is the place where you can truly shine.”

—The Duchy of Basilante excels in the theoretical and practical research of magic. Within the country, 'Grand Magus' is the highest honorific title for magicians.

Upon hearing this, 'Leiner' smiled enigmatically: 'Her? The Crown Princess? She's actually the princess of Asura?'

Seeing that the other party's attitude had softened, Dilik quickly nodded: "Yes! She is the second princess of Asura! Princess Ariel possesses amazing talent."

'Reiner' said 'Oh~', interrupting him:

"Is she a beautiful woman from the Long-eared Tribe? Does she have very long legs?"

Dilik's face darkened: "No, not all Asura nobles are human. However, the legs are very... what am I saying? No... what are you saying?"

Are you skilled in swordsmanship?

"It is certainly inconvenient for Your Highness, a woman of noble birth, to wield swords and spears."

"Huh? Does she possess superhuman magic skills?"

Dirich was speechless, and after an awkward silence, he finally said:
"She is not a magician."

'Reiner' shook his head: 'Not necessarily, he might know water magic.'

"what?"

'Leiner' had finished his meal, downed his hot water in one gulp, and was carefully packing up the ingredients:
"Alright, I'm not teasing you anymore. What I want to say is that you don't need to go to great lengths to please me or win me over. It's only half a day's journey from here to Pepin the City. I've already done more than enough by saving you and escorting you all the way here, so I won't linger any longer."

This is the third time in the past three days that Mr. Reiner has asked to leave the group.

The first two times, Dilik and Timothy tried their best to persuade them to stay, and they didn't ask for any reward, only saying things like "to save lives to the end" before agreeing.

Now, the human settlement is right before us, and our journey together is coming to an end.

However, he still couldn't persuade the other party to rescue Princess Ariel.

what to do??!?

Dilireborg was so anxious that sweat poured down his forehead.

Just then, the argument in the distance finally came to an end.

"So what does Patrice's death really mean to you?" Sarah argued with Timothy, her face flushed.

The latter glanced at Sarah with a distorted expression:
"What does it mean? His death means we can see Mr. 'Reiner' alive, nothing more."

"What??"

Timothy shook off Sarah and Susanna and walked straight toward 'Reiner's' location, stopping at a stop.

He performed the greeting of a lower-ranking magician from the Duchy of Basheland to a higher-ranking one, and said with a ferocious expression:
"I could tell along the way that you weren't interested in the tricks of those nobles like Dirich; you were more like an adventurer, an exceptional adventurer."

You crave thrills, which is why you killed that dragon with your own hands; you enjoy challenges, which is why you escorted us back to Pepin; you never hesitate to show your strength, because you enjoy the feeling of being powerful.

You repeatedly refused to travel with us along the way simply because you saw our incompetence and felt that we were not fit to be your companions.

But please give us a chance. We will strive to become stronger and try our best to follow in your footsteps. I would like to invite you to join the Counter Arrow team.

"wrong."

"what?"

'Reiner' sat up from the ground, surrounded by the wind and snow, his black coat fluttering in the wind.

He tilted his head and glanced at Timothy with great interest:
“I refused to travel with you time and time again, just to see how many of you four were apostles of gods and men. Fortunately, I didn’t face a situation that put me in a difficult position. If Sarah and Dirich had been bewitched, I would have been in a lot of trouble.”

Timothy was taken aback, and his expression changed drastically.

The next instant, the eerie green blade hovered at the side of his neck as if in a frame-dropped motion:

"Timothy, the emotions, reactions, and actions of others along the way are supported by clear behavioral logic and motivation, but you are different."

Your anxiety, your unease, your anger, your frustration—they come without reason and go without warning. Do you know why?

Amid the somewhat bewildered expressions of Dirichlet and the other two, 'Reiner' leaned close to Timothy's ear:

"Because you are unwilling to face the reality of the death of your old teammate Patrice, you can only become impotently furious under Sarah's constant questioning, subconsciously denying his value, his existence, and his meaning in order to make your conscience feel better."

After all, your act of bringing them into the snow valley to "ambush" me was the very reason that directly led to his death.

Timothy's face contorted in a grimace, a complex mix of emotions clearly revealed in his expression as 'Reiner' spoke.

'Reiner' ignored his inner struggle and simply held up two fingers in front of his face:
"You must have a thousand and one reasons to tell me, but I don't have the energy to listen."

Now, I'll give you two options.

1. I won't kill you.

You have laid out your plan for God and Man to me in its entirety, and I will naturally consider whether or not to go to Pepin.

Second: I will kill you.

I left immediately, and whatever kind of 'stage' any religious sect had set up in Pepin to welcome me, it was none of my business.

Choose.

(End of this chapter)