I Alone Regress in a Hero Party That Was Annihilated - Chapter 100

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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#100. Expanding Personnel (3)

Northern Region.

A polar region where blizzards rage all year round.

The men here drink alcohol particularly often.

Because when you drink alcohol, your stomach becomes warm while your skin temperature drops, making the cold feel a little less harsh.

So today as well, the icicle-frozen tavern ‘Rusty Bronze Bird’ was packed full with drunkards.

The sounds of rough Northern men brawling with their fists, drunkards vomiting, people crying and laughing here and there.

Through the gaps between such people, a man pokes his head out.

Creak—

The man who pulled the rusty bronze handle to open the tavern door.

He enters the warm tavern without even brushing the snow off his shoes.

Melted snow water trickled down the collar of the man’s neat, yet somehow cheap-looking coat.

“….”

The man sat down in front of the tavern’s long dining table.

Though it was embarrassing to even call it a dining table, being nothing more than dirty planks nailed together right up against the kitchen.

“….”

The man rested his arms on the planks without any particular complaint.

Sizzle— Sizzle— Sizzle—

Various things were being grilled and fried on the iron plate in front of the planks.

Wild Boar Kidneys, Frost Wolf Eyeballs, Snow Monkey Gallbladder, Ice Herring heavy with eggs, sausages made from unidentifiable mixed meat….

All of these things were mixed together with unidentifiable spicy and strongly fragrant seasonings, releasing thick oil.

The man opened his mouth.

“A plate of sausage. And a glass of absinthe.”

Soon, a dirty plate and a wine cup were placed in front of him.

A lump of red sausage that was burnt in places and reeked of a rancid smell, and thick green liquor.

The man silently ate and drank it.

“Kugh…”

It felt like fire was burning inside him.

Jules Verne.

He breathed fire from his throat.

The liquor he had poured into his mouth was certainly ice-cold, so why was what came spewing out so hot?

Jules Verne stuffed the sausage into his mouth – sausage that reeked with spices strong enough to make him gag and a foul smell strong enough to pierce through even that.

‘Has it been three days since I put something in my stomach?’

His family had fallen to ruin.

To what extent had it fallen? So much so that he had sold the family heirloom pocket watch to a pawn shop for a pittance to buy this miserable liquor and snack before his eyes.

Jules was the last descendant of the Verne Family.

The Verne Family had once been a baronet family of the Northern Region, but that was a story from long ago.

Now there were hardly any who remembered a family called Verne.

Much less the second son of such a humble family.

So Jules felt no particular emotion or pride about being of noble birth.

No, rather he despised his noble bloodline.

The territorial war that had been waged against them from neighboring territories because of that hollow noble position.

Due to the movements of the Levarb Family and Purosange Family, local magnates everywhere rose up seeking opportunities, and large and small civil wars broke out throughout the region.

As a result, the Verne Baronet Family, which had barely been clinging to life, was completely destroyed without a trace overnight.

Jules recalled a week ago.

That night when his father and mother, and his brothers died one by one.

‘But I couldn’t do anything. Even now, it’s the same.’

He was incompetent.

Swordsmanship, magic—he knew nothing of any of it.

He had merely published a few papers on introductory Administrative Studies during his time studying abroad at the Academy in the Imperial Capital.

Even that had to be cut short when his Family House’s finances became difficult, forcing him to return home in haste.

‘I’m trash. I’ll go blind from drinking this hard liquor like this.’

Jules blamed himself as he reached for another wine cup in front of him.

Just then.

…Thud!

The massive tavern owner in front of him glared at Jules.

“Hey, mister. Do you have money?”

“…”

Only then did Jules realize his situation.

He didn’t even have the right to go blind from drinking hard liquor.

Because he didn’t have the money to buy the next drink.

Right at that moment.

“Jules Verne?”

A low voice came from behind.

Startled, Jules tried to get up from his seat but ended up falling backward due to his drunkenness.

He flailed about on the floor mixed with dead mice and drunkards’ vomit.

Just then.

“Are you Jules Verne? If not, just say so. I’m busy too.”

A One-Eyed Middle-Aged Man let out a sigh.

Jules thought.

‘What, what is this? An Assassin… or not?’

Well, there was no particular reason for an Assassin to come after him.

The Verne Quasi-Baron House wasn’t valuable enough to warrant elimination.

If anything, he should have been wary of the Purosange Family since he had been used and then discarded by them… but his enemy, the Purosange Family, had recently been destroyed by another Family House.

So the possibility of an Assassin pursuing Jules was virtually zero.

“What, what is it?”

When Jules asked, the One-Eyed Middle-Aged Man pulled out a Letter.

“I’m delivering this Letter on Guild business.”

“A Letter? For me? From whom?”

“I wouldn’t know. Anyway, I’ve delivered it properly, right? Don’t give me any trouble later.”

Having finished speaking, the One-Eyed Man glanced over at Jules’s modest drinking table.

He clicked his tongue and spoke to the Tavern Owner.

“Hey, don’t sell that Friend any more alcohol. At this rate, he’ll be found frozen to death on the Road. I’ll buy the food instead. Cut up a few plates of pork scraps over there.”

Jules’s appearance looked so pitiful that the One-Eyed Man tossed a few Coins to the Tavern Owner and turned away.

“…”

The self-loathing from receiving cheap sympathy was brief, as Jules looked down at the Letter that had come into his possession.

‘Who on earth would write to me? How did they even know I was here? Good grief…’

Jules opened the Letter.

The content written there was quite lengthy, but what was etched into Jules’ retina was the incredibly high salary and one final sentence at the very end.

―The Mörsolt Family wants you―

* * *

The territory of the Mörsolt Margrave Family.

The Marie Castle and Cardona Castle standing at its center are twin fortresses.

These massive fortresses were built about a day’s ride apart at full gallop, originally intended to defend against the barbarians and monsters crossing over the Mörso Mountain Range.

On the ice lake that spreads wide beyond these two fortresses, countless lives have flickered in and out of existence, and people called that battlefield Meursault.

The warrior ‘Camus’ from the ancient Mythical Age, born in this land, took that place name as his surname with the intention of protecting this northern region for eternity, and that became the origin of the Mörsolt Family.

…And now, countless people were flocking toward those fortresses of the Mörsolt Family.

Numerous families, guilds, and other organizations that had disappeared due to the influence of this civil war.

Their heirs and branch family members, various servants, and miscellaneous human masses like soldiers, knights, and mercenaries lined up to knock on the castle gates.

They had various appearances and attire, but if there was one thing they had in common, it was that they ‘looked impoverished.’

And if we were to find another common trait… it would be that each of them carefully carried a crumpled letter in their breast pocket like a precious jar containing family treasures.

They spoke to the gatekeeper of the Mörsolt Family.

“I heard you treat Wandering Knights generously, so I came.”

“You help masterless Administrative Officials find new employment?”

“My employer died without paying me, so I’m unemployed – this is perfect. A mercenary goes anywhere as long as there’s money.”

At the end of the letters they carried, the same phrase was written.

―The Mörsolt Family wants you―

The fact that the sender of the letter was the famous ‘Featherback’ was also the same.

Eventually, all the people ahead entered through the castle gates.

Jules also stood before the Entry Examination Station with an anxious heart.

“My name is Jules Verne. I received a letter from Prince Featherback…”

“Wait. Who did you say?”

“Jules of the Verne Family. Prince Featherback of the Mörsolt Family sent a letter…”

The soldiers immediately fell silent.

They compared Jules’s face with the list of immigration examiners several times.

And soon after.

“You’re in luck. The Prince just returned last night after completing his secret mission.”

“Huh? Oh, yes. That’s good news… I think? And why are you suddenly speaking formally…?”

Jules was a bit puzzled by the soldier’s change to respectful speech.

But the soldier continued as if it were natural.

“Prince Featherback specifically instructed us to escort Sir Jules directly to the Young Lord’s Chamber. Since the Prince happened to return yesterday, you’re fortunate. You’ll be able to meet him right away.”

“What? Me? But why would he want to see me when we’ve never even met?”

“What would lowly ones like us know? I’ll guide you there, so please take care of me. Oh, and I’m Hasadin – the one who kindly and thoroughly guided Sir Jules. Please don’t forget me when you rise to success later.”

This brown-skinned soldier, who appeared to be of native mixed blood, gave Jules a playful wink.

Soon, Jules was guided directly to the Young Lord’s Chamber.

After passing through the long corridor inside the inner castle and crossing several sky bridges, they reached an isolated room blocked by a thick wooden door.

Knock— Knock— Knock— Knock—

The guiding soldier knocked on the door four times.

Jules thought it seemed like ‘four short knocks on the door leading to the unknown.’

Soon, a youthful yet heavy voice came from inside the door.

“Come in.”

The soldier stepped back without opening the door.

It meant he should open it and enter himself.

Jules took a deep breath and then pushed the door.

Using all his strength to push, the door barely opened.

Soon, a boy with a youthful face standing in the center of the room came into view.

Hair white as fallen snow and blood-red pupils that seemed to draw one in.

Featherback Mörsolt, called the boy hero of the Northern Region, was there.

“Jules Verne, I presume.”

“Ah, yes! That’s right! I am Jules!”

Jules used respectful honorifics to the boy who was ten years younger than himself.

Rather than being conscious of their difference in status, it was more like a biological instinct.

Meanwhile, Jules pondered inwardly.

‘Why would someone as important as Mörsolt’s Young Lord want to see me?’

No matter how much he racked his brain, he couldn’t figure it out.

A rising star who reached the 4-Star Realm at just fifteen, entered the polar region where humanity cannot survive and killed a dragon single-handedly, and instantly suppressed the rebellion of two powerful families at their peak.

Why would such a figure who belonged in humanity’s history books specifically summon him of all people?

And a pathetic second son from a family too embarrassing to even call noble, who had lost all his family and was groveling for survival.

‘Have I ever met this person before?’

But that couldn’t be possible.

Setting aside status and power, if he had seen a boy with such beautiful appearance, there was no way he wouldn’t remember.

‘What could it be? Why me of all people…’

But Jules’s anguish didn’t last very long.

Because Featherback brought up the main point in his characteristically cold and emotionless tone.

“From now on, you will assist Rorschach, who holds the position of Triple Administrator overseeing administration, legislative ability, and judicial ability, and support the administrative and legal work within the castle. Though I say support, you should consider all the paperwork to be your responsibility. Your starting salary begins at 10,000 gold. If your performance is good, we’ll renegotiate your annual salary quarterly.”

“…!”

A work assignment given as naturally as flowing water.

But the amount that followed was so extraordinary that he couldn’t even think to object.

“Wh-what did you see in me to make such an offer? Perhaps you’ve mistaken me for someone else…”

“I saw the doctoral thesis you submitted to the Academy.”

“Pardon? Th-that? That was already more than five years ago…”

“You researched the methodology of presenting common content in the general provisions of the Pandekten and Institutionen systems in Imperial Capital jurisprudence, the compilation of scholarly opinions and legal essentials, and presenting detailed content in specific provisions. You simultaneously applied for doctoral degrees in three fields: policy studies, organizational theory, and personnel administration.”

“!”

Jules’s eyes widened.

The doctoral thesis he had even forgotten about himself.

But before that thesis could even reach the examination board, he had been branded as a chronic tuition debtor and expelled from the campus.

Featherback was referring to that very thesis.

“I found that thesis quite interesting. Fulfill your unfinished dreams to your heart’s content here in Mörsolt Territory.”

Of course, what Featherback said was half a lie.

Before his regression, Featherback had first met this young man named Jules Verne in a world racing toward destruction.

At that time, Jules had made a great contribution to sustaining what little remained of humanity with his tremendous Administrative Supply Ability and exceptional talent in Legislative Ability and Judicial Ability.

That was already a time when all of humanity had united as one, regardless of kingdoms, empires, family houses, tribes, or races, so Jules’s abilities could be displayed to their fullest extent.

‘Jules Verne back then was a unique human being. As if he didn’t need to wait at all for his talent to manifest, he immediately displayed brilliant abilities as soon as he was put to work. Perhaps he was a genius who had been complete from the beginning. It’s just that a stage for him to display that genius had never been prepared.’

And there was one more reason why Featherback held him in high regard.

‘Jules Verne never leaked a single piece of information that could harm humanity, even until he was captured by the Demon Race and torn apart alive. That steadfastness was truly worthy of being emulated by all of humanity.’

Therefore, from the moment Featherback heard the news that Jules Verne had been found, he had made up his mind to give him complete trust and support.

“I-I will serve with complete loyalty!”

Jules suddenly knelt down in front of Featherback.

Hot tears filled with emotion flowed down both his cheeks.

Where else could he find a place that would support him so wholeheartedly when he had nowhere else to go?

Jules, who had been sipping cheap liquor among the tavern beggars, had overnight risen to become the acting administrator of Mörsolt Territory.

“When can you start working? In a week?”

“No, tomorrow right away… no, starting right now! If it were up to my heart, I would have wanted to start yesterday!”

…And just a few days later, Jules had perfectly adapted to the enormous amount of administrative work flooding into Mörsolt Castle.

This also meant that Featherback could finally escape from the clutches of the mountain of approval documents that had been piled up.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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