Repeat Vice - The Villainous Noble Doesn't Want to Die, So He Swore to Not Die As One of The Four Heavenly Kings - Chapter 20: Part One Epilogue - Rougvelt

Chapter 20: Part 1 Epilogue – Rougvelt

The main residence of the Lightless family.

Rofus was summoned by his father.

There sat a man with an expression that could wither anything in sight, with cold, ruthless eyes, before Rofus, displaying an expression somewhere between sullenness and dissatisfaction.

This man had black hair and black eyes like Rofus, dressed in the dark garments symbolizing the Lightless family — the current head of the Lightless family, Rudens Ray Lightless.

He was Rofus’s biological father.

“It’s been a while, Rofus.”

While his tone was calm, his demeanor exuded a chilling coldness that could freeze anyone who encountered it.

Rofus returned the surface-level greeting without meeting his father’s gaze, which was still frowning.

“It’s been a while. I’m glad to see you’re well.”

Rudens didn’t particularly reprimand Rofus for this attitude.

This atmosphere between father and son was not something that was new to them.

“I hear you went to the borderlands. I’ve read Carlos’s report.”

“I see. Then, I have nothing particular to explain from my end.”

“I want to hear it directly from your mouth.”

His father’s atmosphere became more imposing.

“It seems you lost your left arm and your left eye’s vision from it. Treatment must have been difficult.”

“Yes, well…”

Rudens narrowed his eyes at Rofus’s brief response.

“…Will you recover?”

“We’ll search for a method, but if we can’t find one, we’ll make a prosthetic arm.”

“Do you understand who you are? You lack awareness as the eldest son of the Lightless family. Your recklessness goes too far.”

Though his voice wasn’t raised, Rudens’ anger was clear.

“…I’ll be more careful from now on.”

Rudens pressed further.

“Also, Rofus. The use of forbidden magic in the borderland sea. A substantial invoice for purchases of ships, cannons, and a large number of potions delivered from the port town’s commercial association. Complaints have come from the Steria territory as well, from a well-known merchant who claims to have been attacked by you. It’s also a problem that you misused the dark knights sent to meet you. And there are others—”

Rofus sighed deeply, visibly tired of Rudens’ lecture.

Rudens paused, giving Rofus a stern look.

“Rofus…”

“If there’s more you have to say, please put it in writing and send it to Carlos.”

Rofus turned on his heel and headed for the study door.

Rudens stood up, clearly frustrated.

“Wait, Rofus!”

Stopped by Rudens’s call, Rofus returned his father’s gaze with defiance.

“What…?”

“Corruption of the border magistrate, illegal heavy taxation, abduction of residents, and slave traders rampant in the area. It seems even auditors were bribed — though I assume you’ve seen it in the reports.”

“I have received those reports. Why did you even send it to me?”

“I’d like you to govern a bit more decently. It’s the people who suffer.”

Rudens’s eyes widened at Lothas’s words.

“Rofus…”

“Well then. If I stay longer, Mother and my younger brother will also become anxious.”

“Wait, Rofus!”

Ignoring Rudens’s call, Rofus left the study.

The door closed coldly.

Alone in the study, Rudens sank into the chair, letting out a long, deep sigh.

“…That kid, caring about the people. Is this the change Carlos was talking about?”

No one answered Rudens’s murmured question.

“I said it at that time, ‘the ones who suffer are the people.’ Father’s expression at that time was a sight to behold. I wanted to show it to you, Carlos.”

The Lightless family’s secondary residence.

A lavish meal laid out on a large table.

Sitting alone, Rofus spoke cheerfully.

Carlos stood by, smiling.

“Even the lord must have been surprised by the young master’s growth.”

“Growth? What are you talking about?”

“Until now, you’ve never cared about the people. But you’ve had good experiences in Rougvelt…”

“I only mentioned it because I thought Father wouldn’t say anything if I brought up the people. Who cares about the people?”

Rofus chuckled at Carlos, as if moved to tears.

Seeing this reaction, Carlos shrugged as if to say, “Oh well.”

“You’re not being honest, young master. After all, isn’t Faratiana-sama just a commoner?”

As soon as that name was mentioned, the shadows in the room illuminated by the lighting became even darker.

Rofus quietly placed his knife and fork on the table and stared at Carlos with his black and emerald eyes.

“…You haven’t told Father about Fol?”

“Nothing from my mouth about your relationship. But I did include the fact that it happened in Rougvert in the report. Of course, including  about Faratiana-sama.”

“…You didn’t write anything unnecessary, did you?”

“I have a copy of it. Would you like to see it?”

As if waiting for this, Carlos took a bundle of reports out of his pocket.

Rofus snatched it and skimmed through the report, his temples throbbing.

“…Whether it’s monster hunting or Clinton’s corruption, it’s all meticulously detailed. It’s an easy-to-read, flawless report.”

“Thank you.”

Rofus shouted angrily at Carlos, who bowed his head.

“If there’s no mention of Fal at the end, what’s this?! What is this, some kind of romance novel?!”

Rofus pointed angrily at the description of Falatiana at the end of the report—depicting in detail, sometimes passionately, the interactions between Rofus and Falatiana, closing with “the burning love between different social classes! What will become of it?”

To which Carlos proudly responded, “It’s a masterpiece.”

Rofus buried his head in his hands.

“…I should have checked it before submitting it to Father.”

“Yes, it was a bit reckless of you.”

“Don’t you dare say that!”

He threw the report haphazardly, but Carlos remained unfazed.

“Did Father really read this…?”

Rofus sighed deeply and rested his cheek on his hand, clearly irritated.

“…Well, that’s the least of our worries now.”

“Yes, it’s really troublesome.”

Rofus muttered, and Carlos agreed.

On the table where the meal was served, two sets of documents were placed.

One was a substantial invoice sent from the port town’s commercial association.

And the other was titled “Complaint from Steria Territory Commercial Association Director ‘Wealthy Merchant’ Gillan.”

Rougvelt

In the dining room behind the inn, the innkeeper’s daughter Lilia was watching over the shop.

But there were no customers, and the shop was empty.

At lunchtime, the place would be bustling with fishermen who had finished their morning fishing, but it would be quiet once they set off for the afternoon fishing.

In the empty shop, besides Lilia, there were Norn and Fol.

Norn, rescued with the help of Rofus, spent most of her time outside.

During the day, she mainly helped Lilia in the dining room.

Although she was enslaved and her strength was depleted, she seemed to be gradually recovering.

And there was one more person in the dining room.

Fol often came to the dining room during breaks in fishing.

And now, Fol was rolling on the floor, writhing and screaming.

“Ughhhh!”

Lilia watched her with a cold gaze.

“She’s been doing this since Rofus-sama returned. What a sight.”

Norn chuckled wryly.

“It’s a really serious matter.”

Lilia sighed.

“If you like him so much, why didn’t you just push him down?”

“I was almost close to pushing him down. I confessed and tried to kiss him, and then…”

As Norn struggled to explain, Lilia nodded understandingly.

“Oh, so you got rejected.”

“I didn’t get rejected!”

Fol denied loudly as he got up.

Norn chuckled softly as he looked at Fol.

“But, isn’t Rofus-sama still 12 years old? It’s hard to respond to Fol’s feelings, isn’t it?”

“Yeah, I guess… I confessed to a 12-year-old and tried to kiss him… What am I doing?!”

Fol sank down and then screamed as if going mad.

Lilia shrugged in disbelief.

“She’s emotionally unstable… You better stop before any customers come.”

Fol’s voice echoed in the majestic dining room.

Rougvelt was bustling as usual today.

Three months since Rofus returned to the capital from Rougvelt. T

The Steria Territory.

In a certain underground dungeon.

Chained tightly with strong chains, a blond boy was securely restrained.

In the story, he was considered one of the Four Strongest and was known by the nickname “Dragon Rider.”

It was Vallum Rio Draconis.

The prison in the snowy country made even the air it breathed freeze white.

“I’m sorry, Rofus. I messed up…”

Valm’s regretful mutter quietly dissolved into the cold darkness of the dungeon.

—End of Part One—