Chapter 40
Chapter 40
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 39
Chapter Title: The Proper conquest Method
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[Mental Strength: 6]
My mental strength had increased by 1. Maybe because of that, I felt like I could endure the cold and pain a bit better.
But there was some regret.
‘Sure, it went up, but honestly, I have no idea what it’s used for. It would’ve been better if stamina had gone up instead.’
Rachel dismissed the message window. The message window vanished immediately as soon as she willed it to disappear, without any special action required.
‘If I can dismiss the message window with my mind, maybe I can summon other things too?’
It was a sudden thought. Strangely, it hadn’t occurred to her for a long time, but it popped into her head right now.
‘Like a status window.’
Games had status windows. As the name implied, they were windows that displayed the character’s status.
‘No way.’
Even as Rachel thought it unlikely, she couldn’t help but try the idea that had just come to her.
‘The original status window had…’
It showed the player Rachel’s name, age, gender, playtime, and items in possession.
And for some reason, it also displayed HP and MP.
Whether falling from a high place or encountering a monster, the Rachel in the game died in pretty much one hit.
So HP was useless.
She’d never seen MP decrease either, since she never used it.
Back then, she’d chalked it up to it being an indie game made with an existing game tool and hadn’t thought much of it.
‘But there’s a talent maintenance system, and more stats besides.’
Rachel judged that it would be good to check her status window if she could.
At that moment, Abyss’s voice rang out.
“We’ve almost caught up!”
Rachel snapped her head up. Beyond the pouring rain, she could see people.
A menacing killing intent swirled around the carriage.
Amid the sound of rain, she heard the clash of swords.
Even with the surroundings darkened by storm clouds, the golden hair stood out vividly.
Evelyn was fighting desperately among the armed men wielding swords and spears.
Abyss grabbed the horse’s reins and began controlling the galloping horse.
The horse slowed down, and Rachel followed suit, bringing her own horse to a stop.
“There are three men, and they’re all useless.”
At Abyss’s words, Rachel narrowed her eyes. The three men he meant were Henri, the magistrate, and Chris.
They were huddled behind the broken carriage on the road as a shield.
“They were trying to disguise it as a carriage accident.”
“No, is now the time to analyze that?! We chased after them to help, didn’t we?”
She’d thought he’d stopped the horse for a surprise attack since charging in on horseback would be too conspicuous, but Abyss shook his head.
“For the record, I’m a brain type. I’m not good at fighting.”
“No, then why did you come charging like this?”
“It was to catch up to the young master and your father before they ran into those bandits in disguise. Too late now, though.”
Rachel nearly grabbed the back of her neck. The information merchant she’d trusted was weak in combat.
At that moment, an archer nocked an arrow at Chris. His fingers released the taut bowstring.
Peeeng.
She heard the sound of the arrow cutting through the wind. Spotting the arrowhead aimed at him before it launched, Chris pulled his uncle’s body—which was right beside him—to block the arrow.
“!”
Rachel witnessed the scene.
Chris, using his uncle—who had come to help him—as a shield, shedding tears while smiling with his mouth.
Evelyn rushing to her husband, who’d been struck by the arrow.
The falling raindrops felt agonizingly slow.
Abyss quickly assessed the situation and shouted one line.
“Come find me soon!”
-Your family has died. Returning to checkpoint.
Abyss stretched vertically, turning into a line like thread, and vanished.
The surroundings filled with vertical lines and turned ashen.
The sound of rain stretched like music leaking from a warped tape, then soon the familiar scene appeared.
The dining table where her family, Enoch, and Priestess Peace were gathered for a meal.
Rachel let out a long sigh. This was the 20th round.
She’d confirmed in the 19th round that excessive regressions weren’t beneficial, yet she couldn’t prevent it.
“What’s wrong?”
Evelyn looked at Rachel with a worried face. The sturdy mother card was sealed for the time being.
“I’m sorry, but could you grant my request without asking why?”
Questioning looks appeared on everyone’s faces.
“Let’s hear it first.”
With Evelyn’s permission, Rachel organized her thoughts for a moment. It didn’t take long.
The top priority was to contact Abyss with Enoch.
But she couldn’t get straight to the point.
“There will be a flood this summer. In autumn, flood damage will be severe, driving up grain prices. I’d like Priestess Peace to inform the temple so they can prepare.”
“That’s why you sighed so deeply. Put that worry aside. I’ll notify the temple and work to minimize the damage.”
“Thank you.”
“No need. It’s only natural. If that’s your request, I’d grant it ten times over.”
Priestess Peace showed her goodwill to Rachel with a benevolent smile.
“And I hate to ask this of Enoch, but could you go to the capital with me?”
“Me?”
His golden eyes wavered. Even seeing that, Rachel nodded.
By now, Enoch was probably just waiting for a spar with Evelyn. Knowing that made her feel a little sorry.
“Even with flood damage, merchants won’t lower grain prices. They’ll sell it even higher, leaving many to starve.”
Enoch blinked. He couldn’t see the connection between that problem and why Rachel wanted him along.
But Rachel wasn’t finished.
“So I need to meet someone who can resolve it, and I can only meet them with a priest along.”
Enoch couldn’t refuse Rachel’s request, though it pained him. The issue was too serious to prioritize personal desires.
“It’s very urgent.”
At Rachel’s added words, Enoch closed his eyes. Priestess Peace would be very busy preparing the temple for the flood.
“Understood. I’ll accompany you.”
In the end, Enoch agreed to Rachel’s request.
“Thank you! So, about that…”
Rachel gazed steadily at Evelyn. Feeling her daughter’s eyes, Evelyn nodded.
“Mother, after dinner, could you give Enoch some instruction right away? Father already knows you use the sword anyway, right?”
Rewards were essential to command people.
She had to give Enoch what he so desperately wanted to ensure he’d help her with enthusiasm.
The golden eyes, which had been subtly downcast, began to sparkle with life at Rachel’s proposal.
“Very well.”
Evelyn couldn’t refuse such a gaze from Enoch and agreed to Rachel’s request.
“Dear, the trip to the capital might be delayed a bit. Is that alright?”
Rachel cut in before Henri could respond to Evelyn’s question.
“Father, even if we go to the capital early, you won’t be able to do anything.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“The crown prince will die suddenly.”
“That again!”
Henri raised his voice, and someone sharply inhaled. But recalling Rachel’s ability, they couldn’t deny it.
“You’re serious?”
Henri, who had momentarily raised his voice, asked again, and Rachel nodded.
“Yes. That’s why the damage gets worse. The second prince’s faction fights the third prince’s faction, and the third prince’s merchants-turned-nobles jack up grain prices wildly to buy weapons. Uncle Paris is one of them.”
Rachel mentioned Paris Emporus as if she were truly saddened.
Of course, they were distributing grain for free to the people to boost the third prince’s reputation, but there was no need to mention that.
“So for now, I don’t want to meet Uncle. He wouldn’t stop by Harpa Castle even if I hate it this much, right?”
What Rachel wanted now was Henri’s firm promise not to stop at Harpa Castle.
Those around gave looks urging him to agree to at least that much, and Henri set down his fork and spoke.
“Fine. We won’t stop at the castle.”
Henri was timid but a man who kept his word.
Rachel clenched her fist under the table.
‘Good!’
Now they could skip Harpa Castle and head straight to the capital.
After dinner, Evelyn, Enoch, and Priestess Peace disappeared. However, Deyner lingered near Rachel.
“What?”
“Don’t you have anything to say to me? You made all sorts of requests to the priestess too.”
At Deyner’s tone, craving family attention, Rachel smiled brightly and replied.
“Of course I do!”
Deyner’s eyes sparkled at her words.
“You have a special talent. You’re strong, and if you learn swordsmanship, you’ll grow faster than others!”
“Me?”
Deyner echoed his sister’s words in surprise, and Rachel nodded with conviction.
“Yes. Plus, you’ll shoot up in height, and in three years, you’ll be this big.”
Rachel stretched both arms upward, gesturing a huge stature with her hands. Deyner seemed tempted by the promise of growing tall.
“Really?”
“Really! So tell Mother you want to learn swordsmanship. This is your big sister’s request.”
“Okay! Got it.”
Deyner ran out to the yard to find Evelyn. Rachel breathed a sigh of relief.
If they trained together, he’d end up ignoring his big sister later, but ignoring him would make him rebel.
She had to care for him carefully, so she passed that role to her mother.
‘Mother will handle it well.’
After instructing the maid to pack everything, Rachel sent her away, took out paper and a pen.
Then she began writing down information to pass to Abyss.
The Emporus family’s assets list, fund flows, illegal activities the Emporus family had committed, and so on.
‘He’ll make good use of this information.’
The single sheet of paper quickly exceeded ten pages. Only when a knock sounded at the door did Rachel look up.
“Miss, it’s time to go.”
“Yeah, I’ll be out soon!”
At the maid’s voice, Rachel folded what she’d written, pocketed it, and hurried out of the room.
Descending to the first floor, she first saw Enoch with a refreshed expression.
“Rachel!”
“Was it a satisfying spar?”
“No, I have many regrets due to my own shortcomings. Still, thanks to you, I can see the path I must take.”
Enoch humbly replied to Rachel’s question and extended his hand to her.
“That’s great!”
“Yes. Thanks to you, Rachel.”
“No. It’s thanks to Enoch’s efforts. Seeing the path means you’ve pondered that much, right?”
When opportunity knocks, people divide into two types based on how they respond: those who seize it and those who miss it.
Only the prepared can grasp opportunity and turn it into positive change.
Enoch’s ears reddened at Rachel’s words acknowledging his efforts.
“That’s only natural.”
But Rachel denied his words.
“Efforts are natural? Hmm. Efforts don’t always yield good results.”
Effort and results aren’t proportional.
People get disappointed with results not matching their efforts, and for that reason, some dream of get-rich-quick schemes and grow lazy.
Among them are those without dreams, merely scrambling to survive day by day.
“The path to your goal isn’t always flat, right?”
Enoch couldn’t answer immediately. Rachel hadn’t asked expecting an answer.
“It might be a steep slope, a winding road. There could be forks, dead ends, or paths overgrown with thorns.”
Rachel’s eyes curved softly.
“Persistently striving for something is amazing.”
Moved by Rachel’s words, Enoch clasped his hands together.
At that moment, applause rang out.