The Strongest Family Has Arrived!

Chapter 8

—–CROW—– 

‘Ryan didn’t come for revenge until much later after his release.’

I touched the hair Ryan had ruffled and fell into thought.

‘The reason he didn’t come right away was probably…’

Ryan possessed a terrifying ability, but like all ability users, his power would be incomplete right now.

An ability wasn’t a fully realized power from the beginning. Even after awakening, its power increased only after repeated use.

‘He couldn’t have trained his ability in prison.’

So, from now on, Ryan would be planning to hone his ability until he could take a life with a mere flick of his finger.

His revenge was carried out when I was twenty.

‘That means it will take eight years from now for him to perfect his ability enough to wipe out the family.’

Eight years remained until Ryan became an unstoppable murderer.

Eight years was more than enough time to stop him.

Unlike Ryan, who knew nothing, I had returned with my memories.

So.

What if I stopped Ryan here and returned to the family?

I could live a glamorous and stable life like before, without any danger.

Knowing this well, my lover before the regression had made his request.

To stop the revenge.

“If you go back, stop him from taking revenge, Vania.”

My lover had one fervent wish.

Ironically, it was the same goal as Ryan’s.

To bring down the corrupt Vasenberg family, which was eroding the nation.

But even though Ryan fulfilled his wish, he turned back time and undid everything.

Just to save me.

“Let’s never meet again.”

Why?

We had a forbidden love.

My lover… was a member of the royal family, who had a duty to protect his country, this Empire, from corruption.

And I was a member of the corrupt family that was causing that very corruption.

“Don’t look for me. I’ll only… ruin you again.”

Nevertheless, his act of turning back time that day was no different from abandoning his country to save me.

If I, having regressed, stopped Ryan…

…even though he surely knew that the vile Vasenbergs would regain their power and continue to corrupt the Empire…

He wanted me to forget him.

To close my eyes and ears.

And to live happily, indulging myself once more within the confines of my despicable family.

‘Fool.’

Just because of love.

What was it all for?

‘Idiot.’

To abandon his lifelong beliefs and betray his country.

“Let’s never love again.”

I raised my head.

And I said to Ryan,

“I’ll help you.”

Find out Ryan’s true intentions → Success!

After understanding Ryan’s true intentions:

*If he has a righteous cause: Form an alliance*

I apologize to my lover, who wouldn’t have dreamt that I would make this choice.

But from the moment I regressed, I never had the option of living comfortably as a member of the corrupt family.

“What?”

Ryan asked, his expression as if he was doubting his own ears.

“I said I’ll help you.”

I would help this man, Ryan, with his revenge.

“Let’s take revenge together.”

Because his revenge was a righteous cause for the greater good, and also my lover’s wish.

“Are you stupid? Do you not know who Father is?”

“I know.”

“I told you, you’ll die if we fail.”

However, a massacre without a legitimate cause, like before, wouldn’t do.

If the tragedy of that day were to repeat…

The true meaning of revenge would fade, and history would only remember Ryan as a “murderer.”

“If we fail, then so be it.”

I took Ryan’s hand and stepped closer, saying,

“We’ll die together.”

Ryan’s eyes widened in surprise.

“You…”

His lips trembled, unable to speak.

“You, you…”

“Yes.”

I maintained eye contact with him so he could feel my sincerity.

Finally, Ryan said,

“You’re terrifying.”

“…”

Sigh.

As expected, a serious atmosphere with this man couldn’t last even ten minutes.

“Talking about death so casually!  Are you sure you’re twelve?  Aren’t you living your second life or something?”

Ouch.

“You’re really suspicious. Are you one of Father’s spies? Did he send you to watch me?”

“What?  Aren’t you being a bit too self-conscious?”

I told Ryan the truth so he could face reality.

“Appa is incompetent and has nothing but muscles, what’s so scary about him that he’d need to send spies…?”

“Hey!”

If I had assigned people to follow and watch Ryan in my first life, that disaster wouldn’t have happened…

“…Sadly, you’re right.”

He bristled for a moment, but then admitted it.

“Even if you went to him right now and declared your revenge, the Duke wouldn’t bat an eye…”

“…”

“Even if an ant declared it would become stronger and come back, a person wouldn’t be… scared of such an ant, right…?”

“Ugh, fine! Stop hitting me!”

“Speaking of which… you have no power, no money, and no status now.  You have nothing. How are you going to take revenge?”

“…”

Silence fell as I violently pointed out the reality.

“*Swish. Swish. Swish.*”

Ryan then made punching sounds with his mouth, jabbing at the air with his clenched fists.

“See these muscles? See these dazzling punches?  A man is his fists.  I’ll take my revenge with these.”

I was relieved at his display.

‘As expected. He doesn’t intend to reveal what kind of ability he has.’

A wise move.

The first rule for a successful revenge:

Make sure the family continues to believe Ryan is incompetent until the very end.

“That’s right. And I have land, too, even if it’s a bit crappy.”

Ryan pulled something out of his bag.  It was the deed to the estate he had received from the aide after his release.

“I’m a lord! Don’t mess with me.”

“Wow, cool!”

I clapped my hands and thought,

‘I went through so much trouble to get that crappy piece of land…’

Ryan would never know.

Thanks to me, who had regressed to the age of ten and spent two years meticulously preparing, he was starting his second life comfortably.

“Hey, but you little brat, *you* have nothing. How are you going to help me? Besides freeloading and eating my food, what can you do?”

“…I won’t freeload. I’ll take care of myself and eat my own share.”

“Huh.”

“For now, wouldn’t it be better if Appa, who at least has more muscles than me, acted as my guardian?”

“You’re truly shameless.”

“I’m quite useful! I’m better than nothing!”

“Really? Then go exchange this for money.”

Ryan suddenly handed me the three gold bars he had received as my child support, wrapped separately in a bundle.

“You said it would be more profitable to exchange them here, right?”

“That’s true, but… by myself?”

“Should we go together? I’m still not over my seasickness. I feel nauseous.  Just go quickly.”

“This is a transit point to the mainland, so there are a lot of foreigners. It’s crowded, and there are a lot of pickpockets. It’s dangerous for a young child like me to walk around alone with gold bars.”

“It’s fine. You won’t die. There are, like, military police? Security forces?  They’re all around.”

“You’re planning to run away while I’m gone, aren’t you? I know everything.”

“…”

Ryan blinked a few times, rubbed his forehead, and chuckled.

“Ah~ you’re sharp.”

After chuckling for a while, he wiped the smile from his face and spoke seriously.

“Kid. You don’t seem to believe me, but I’m serious about taking revenge.”

“No, I believe you.”

“I’m sorry if I seem cold.  But I’m trying to separate from you before we get closer.  If we spend more time together and I get attached… then you’ll truly become a burden to me.”

“…”

“You’re not going to be helpful with my revenge, and even if you were, I wouldn’t use you.  It’s more dangerous for you to be by my side than to be on your own. So it’s best for us to part ways now.”

“…Yes. I understand.”

“Good.”

Ryan turned his back to me and started packing his belongings.

“Now go, if you understand.”

“I have a confession to make.”

“I don’t want to hear it.”

“I’m not actually incompetent.”

Ryan, who had been busily packing, froze.

—–CROW—–