Regressor, Possessor, Reincarnator

The aristocracy were the sort to consider many options before making a move. From the immediate benefits and consequences of taking any action, to the repercussions and chain of events that were likely to occur later down the line as a result—they were raised to consider every possibility from an early age, and trained to integrate these analyses into every aspect of their daily lives. 

Such was the mindset of an aristocrat. 

This ethos served as the force that drove the gap between commoners and aristocrats ever wider as the generations passed, the deciding factor that afforded any heir the qualification to play the role of the Head of House once he reached the age of maturity.

As technology advanced and the times changed, the importance and influence of everyday people increased. It had progressed to the point where, now, the ordinary man could exert his will in certain ways. Nevertheless, such progress had not yet allowed commoners to truly have a seat at the table. 

Allen, as the Reinhart family heir, was educated in this same school of thought. As a result, he always tried to take each and every possible variable into consideration when making any plans.

It was his second time going through life, and as soon as he regressed, this way of living had only grown more intense.

From what would happen in a few months, to what would happen in a few years—he tried to prepare for the future, not the present, by formulating his plans around what would come about in the coming months and years rather than on any sort of short-term basis like weeks or days. 

The same went for the matter at hand.

Before he’d even planned on matriculating into the Academy, Allen couldn't help but run through as many factors as possible. To date, the gap between him and Julius hadn’t been very large. Honestly, one could even go as far as to say that Allen had the clear advantage.

But how long would that last?

‘I’m starting to lag behind.’

It was a claim he could support with evidence. 

Allen knew well where exactly he stood. He had immersed himself in magic and magic alone, sacrificed his lifespan, and even sacrificed his life entirely, and the result was eight rings. However, his Rank 8 status was deformed—less than half the size it should’ve been and skewed toward one side.

He, thus, found himself in a position wherein he couldn’t be guaranteed victory in a head-to-head match with someone one rank—or even two—below him. 

He already knew this, because he had struggled to perform at the limits of his skills, nevermind going beyond it.

But what about Julius?

‘He never stops growing.’

An example was just then, during the dungeon practice-raid. He’d suddenly gained the ability of a star’s stigma and ran wild.

Allen tried to steal his rewards as much as possible to prevent his growth, taking away Vestla and other opportunities to obtain the dragon core and the physical qualities of a giant.

At this point, as long as he tried his best, he’d be able to defeat those who’d recently reached a Rank 7 position. 

‘But what if it were the average Rank 7?’

If he could maneuver himself into close-quarters combat somehow, his chances would be approximately 50/50. If he couldn't, his best hope was to just aim for a draw.

Rank 7 and above was creeping into superhuman territory. It was the realm of those born as flesh and blood, yet who eventually broke beyond the accompanying natural limitations. Entering that world was impossible unless the sorcerer had attained ability equivalent to a Rank 7.

Of course, he had no way of knowing what would happen in the future.

The qualities of the giant’s body he possessed could develop even further, and there was no way of knowing how strong future forms of Jotunnsverd would be once Vestla taught him.

‘Even so.’

Allen had no choice but to prepare, just in case.

His true aim was to find the original Julius’s soul, in addition to killing the one who occupied his body. Seeing as no progress had been made on the latter goal, he instead had to widen the gap between himself and Julius in order to buy time.

And that was what he’d been preparing for ever since returning to life in the manor.

'Have Linbelle get acquainted with the granddaughter of the Beast King.’

She was weak due to the events of her past, and she had affinity for neither the control of auras nor magic.

What if she was approached by Linbelle, established a friendship, and eventually contacted the Circulation in order to use their abilities to treat her constitution?

It would be good to have a connection with the Beast King, but the best result of all would be to become his disciple. 

At the same time, he could acquire the qualifications to become an apostle of the Circulation, gaining access to some of their power and influence. 

‘If this succeeds, I’ll be able to widen the gap between us and buy more time. But if it fails… the length of my roster of enemies will only increase.'

It was a gamble.

Eliana stared at him with her mouth closed until Linbelle finished with his hair and served them all tea.

"…Do you have anything to say?"

"No, I was just thinking."

She looked at Allen with an observant gaze for a while, then tilted her head in apparent puzzlement.

"I just can't figure out why you sent Linbelle to me.”

Clink.

Hearing this, Linbelle flinched as she prepared the tea. A surprised look unconsciously flickered over her face and was hidden just as quickly, but Eliana knew that she had been correct just by seeing her reaction.

"And why is that?"

Allen, unlike Linbelle, showed no embarrassment at her words. He’d suspected she might notice. Though he had hoped that he wouldn’t get caught, he didn’t care if he did, either. After all, he knew Linbelle and her clumsy personality well. It didn’t seem reasonable to assume they wouldn't be found out in the end.

"Well, it’s simple. You stand to gain nothing from it.”

"Gain nothing?"

She nodded her head, indicating that it was obvious. Eliana pointed at herself and opened her mouth to say, "First of all, you must not know, sir…”

"Please, address me informally."

"Well, you would have had Linbelle approach me knowing that I was the granddaughter of the Beast King. Am I wrong?"

Allen nodded. Apart from him, only the Vice Chairman and other truly high-ranking officials at the Academy knew of her true identity.

"I'm sorry that offends you."

"No, there’s no offense at all to be taken. This isn’t the first time this has happened… and we’ve gotten along quite well.”

She glanced at Linbelle as she said that. But Linbelle was carefully watching Allen and his expressions instead and didn't see. 

‘Did they get unexpectedly close?’

It was an outcome he hadn’t even considered.

"While we’re on the topic, why would this not be beneficial?”

"Grandpa, no— The Beast King has no interest in me.” A hint of deep self-deprecation crossed her face. “Despite being a mix between beast and human, my magic and aura abilities are lacking, and my physical body isn’t strong, either. To add to the contradictions there—" She immediately schooled her expression and went on explaining, "The Beast King isn’t one to do favors for me just because we’re blood-related. I don't think he’d really be very interested in whatever I do, anyway.”

There was a faint hint of rage burning in her eyes as she spoke.

‘I knew that opinions on him were divided, even within the Demihuman Union, but I guess it’s the same within his own family, too.’

Or was it just a reaction toward an unexpected situation?

One side wanted to live a life in the grassland and preserve traditional values, while the other wanted to use modern technology to develop alongside other populations. Those who subscribed to the latter point-of-view were typically the weaker ones, not those who could utilize their auras or who possessed great power.

Naturally, she had no choice but to align with the latter.

"But it's impossible to lay a hand on me. Did you know that some families in the past have tried to hold me hostage and were promptly destroyed?"

Eliana laughed at him as she shared that anyone who’d approached her previously had been wiped out completely.

"So, sir, I think it best to stop assuming that you can get what you want from me, or rather, from the Beast King."

* * *

* * *

With that, Eliana lifted her tea cup to her mouth, suddenly parched. Allen waited until she had sufficiently quenched her thirst, and then began, “That doesn't matter to me. Rather, I am interested in the princess."

‘Princess’…? She narrowed her eyes, thinking about the title, as if it were one she hadn’t heard in a long time.

"Me?"

"Yes."

She stared at him blankly for a moment, contemplating the true meaning of his words, then blurted out, "You’re actually interested in me?"

"No."

"Okay, but that didn’t sound like a joke?"

"I have a fiancée."

"I know that."

She appeared lost in thought, turning over the oddity presented to her, and began to sort through her thoughts aloud, one by one.

“You approached me because you wanted something from my grandfather, and now you’re interested in me because that doesn’t seem feasible anymore? But don't you have any true interest in me?"

"No, I was more interested in you than in the Beast King from the beginning. In your talent as an engineer, to be exact."

Eliana didn't look suspicious at Allen's reply.

"Hmm… that's even stranger. So, you approached me even though you knew you wouldn't get the attention of the Beast king? It was because of my engineering skills?” She shook her head, a slight sneer curling her lips. "It still seems more plausible to me that you’d be aiming for a relationship with my grandfather facilitated via a marriage with me.”

It was a rude remark, showing no regard for Allen’s honor. Yet he did not rise to her provocations, as he knew that she was speaking deliberately, trying to gauge his reaction. 

That was why Allen faced her without any change in disposition.

"Well, I don’t know how effective that would really even be. You can’t really think the Beast King is completely uninterested in you?”

“Can you be so sure of that?”

"Well, I really can’t really say. No matter how uninterested he may be, he wouldn’t be totally unreceptive if his granddaughter’s constitution were to be treated, would he?”

"…What?"

Allen opened his mouth, as if excited to tell anybody who was willing to hear it, "I don't know how likely it’d be for him to stay totally uninvolved if his granddaughter were cured.”

Her eyes widened as she realized what Allen was saying, her jaw slowly slackening. The tongs that she had used to move cubes of sugar, likewise, unclenched and dropped opened.

Allen grabbed the falling sugar cubes with a thread of mana, setting them into her teacup. 

Plop.

The image of his face, smiling leisurely, reflected in her yellow pupils.

"Then let me ask you this time."

Allen opened his mouth, taking his time to savor her expression of astonishment.

“Can you really be so sure of that?”

She clamped her mouth shut.

That was her answer.

* * *

After it had gotten late, Allen sent them away, but not before setting up another time to meet. Linbele and Eliana each seemed unwilling to leave for different reasons, but Allen had no choice.

⟬…Allen, you're not really going out there, are you?⟭

'I provoked him myself, how can I not?'

Allen carried Vestla at his waist as he grabbed his coat. The presence he’d felt from the moment Eliana entered didn’t disappear even after she left the room, only becoming more and more pronounced.

"How ferocious."

As expected of the Beast King.

It would have been more convenient to call him himself, but what was done, was done.

Allen left the dormitory and walked to where his body led him.

"This is…"

The place where he arrived was the cemetery, where he’d happened to stop by that day. He paused there for a moment, then kept walking.

In that now blackened sky, there was nothing like the spectacle he’d seen raining down before.

Just the starlight twinkling above, like always.

Even in its usual appearance, the scene was special enough to catch one's attention. However, Allen couldn't concentrate on the sight, his eye captured by another.

There at the center of the cemetery, beneath the Milky Way of that stunning night sky, stood a man who exuded an even greater presence.

Once Allen had gotten a little closer, he began, "That was a pretty interesting conversation."

The broad, yellow pupils met Allen's.

"You said all that even though you knew I was listening?”

Despite the terrible smell of alcohol wafting off of the man, Allen could not let his guard down at all.

The man had earned that level of caution.

He was one of the three most powerful among the Top Eight, someone who could single-handedly crumble mountains and go head-to-head with an entire country all on his own. 

A living legend who surpassed the limitations of a physical being.

Gaillon the Beast King.

He was the one who had called Allen over, having overheard his conversion with Eliana. 

"I didn't mean to disturb you, sir. I'm sorry to bother you…”

"No, don’t bother. More than that, are you confident?" he interrupted Allen, shaking his hand in dismissal.

Allen knew what he was asking, but he found it difficult to readily answer. He couldn’t be 100% sure what the Beast King meant.

"I asked if you were sure."

But, unappreciative of his silence, the Beast King spoke again. His reassertion was accompanied with a strong burst of energy.

Gaillon's expression turned fierce.

⟬Allen, you can't win this, even with my help.⟭ Vestla, who had been silent since he first encountered him, affirmed his thoughts.

Allen made his judgment at once.

"Yes. I am quite confident."

"Then that's enough for now. We can revisit this later, if you fail somewhere down the line. But this is not the time to talk about it."

The pressure pushing on Allen subsided. Gaillon's expression also turned calm, as if he’d never been threatening in the slightest.

Allen realized that he had put up a deliberate front.

‘Does he reek of booze on purpose? For the act? Or is he really a drunk?’

Allen recalled the circulating rumors.

"Then why did you call for me?"

"Your sword."

"What?"

Gaillon tapped at his waist, as if warning him not to ask twice.

"Before we talk, raise your sword first, let's see your skills."

"What do you mean—?”

Allen tried to get out a sentence, but Gaillon's movement was even faster. As soon as he disappeared from view, a voice rang out.

"Just so you know, if you don't last more than five minutes, then that will be the end of our meeting."

A bolt of alarm rang through him. Before he could even draw his sword, Gaillon had his arm wrapped around Allen’s side.

Whoomph!

Allen's body flew a few steps forward. His eyes filled with astonishment at the sensation of pain that coursed through him, his first taste of it since acquiring the body of a giant all that time ago.

"Hmm, you’re tougher than you look. In that case…"

Allen clenched his teeth and drew his sword. There was no time to argue. Whatever he had to say, the battle in front of him would have to come first.

"I guess I’ll put my back into it this time.”

Wham!

His consciousness was flung away from him for a moment.

Unable to fully defend his body, he instinctively twisted to the side. A fist grazed his shoulder as his body spun around to cushion the blow.

"Your reflexes and reaction time are pretty good, too.”

Another attack flew in.

It was the first real moment of crisis that he’d faced since obtaining this body.

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