Chapter 80: Twist in the plot (2)

Regret’s response to the sudden scout offer was:

“You want me in the escort squad?”

As expected, he looked completely dumbfounded.

It was only natural. Telling the second son of the opposition leader to join the special forces would get the same reaction.

But I couldn’t apply real-world logic here.

This was the North.

A place where the eldest son of the opposition leader could climb the ranks of the national military purely through his own strength.

Regret wasn’t shocked because I suggested enlistment—he was stunned because I was recommending a position too good for a civilian like him.

…Or was I wrong?

“A noble who’s been lounging at home like me wouldn’t be able to get in, right? I heard only the best of the best in the Northern military can join. If my brother hadn’t aimed for a commanding role, they said he would have entered that unit too.”

Whew, good.

“Of course, accepting my offer doesn’t mean you’ll get into the escort squad immediately. His Grace personally oversees the selection process, and the screening is extremely strict.”

“Ah, so in the end…”

“But the system is fundamentally recommendation-based. I’m the vice-captain of the escort squad, so if you’re interested, I can recommend you to the captain.”

I kept my tone casual so Regret wouldn’t feel overwhelmed, but honestly, this was a challenge even for me.

There had never been a case where a civilian was specially recruited into the escort squad for archery skills.

Recommending Regret meant even I couldn’t predict the outcome.

Since he wasn’t a soldier, there were no performance records to evaluate, which meant his assessment would be even stricter.

On top of that, the escort squad didn’t have any members who used bows as their primary weapon, so his aptitude would be examined in great detail.

However, Grace and Elaine wouldn’t overlook Regret’s talent.

And I’d be right there to push them in the right direction.

Even if he didn’t make it into the escort squad, they’d still recognize his archery skills and open another path for him.

Having the Northern Grand Duke’s backing would do wonders for Regret’s confidence and future.

“This is… quite the unexpected offer… I’ve never even considered something like this.”

“Take your time thinking about it. I’m not pressuring you—I just asked because your archery skills are truly impressive.”

“…….”

Regret fell silent for a moment.

Then, in a barely audible voice, he spoke.

“My archery skills are that good? I can’t even handle a sword properly… and yet, you think that’s enough to get into the escort squad?”

For the first time, his voice trembled slightly.

Not only his voice—his expression darkened too.

Was this what he looked like without his usual mask?

But this was also the first time the guy who always denied his true talent was attempting to face himself.

So, I—

“It’s true that joining the escort squad based on archery alone would be difficult.”

“Ah…”

“That is, if you were just at an average level.”

“?”

I looked directly into Regret’s eyes and continued.

“This is just my assumption, but… if you can reach this level just by teaching a beginner like me, then what would happen if you put your mind to it and shot with everything you had? Have you ever done that before?”

“No… I’ve never shot with my full strength.”

I knew it.

At most, he’d probably just used archery for quiet meditation in the training grounds or as a simple hobby for hunting.

“Listen, man. We haven’t known each other for long, so this might sound a bit rude. Mind if I say it anyway?”

“…Go ahead.”

“In my opinion, you’re kind, broad-minded, and have a great personality that makes people around you feel comfortable and happy.”

“…?”

“I mean, look at me. We’ve only known each other for a few days, yet we’re already having this kind of conversation. That, too, is a talent. Do you know how hard it is to naturally connect with people you just met?”

At the mention of ‘talent,’ Regret’s pupils slightly widened.

“But when we talk, I feel like you’re overly harsh on yourself. Even now. Do you think I recommended you for the Guard just to flatter you? I know exactly what kind of place it is.”

“…….”

“To be honest, I want to cheer you on. People say elves are the best when it comes to archery, but isn’t that just because no northern warrior has ever made a name for themselves with a bow? Who knows? You might be the first.”

“!”

Regret’s pupils visibly trembled.

Sensing the opportunity, I didn’t stop there and pushed further.

I had a gut feeling.

Something was about to burst, like popcorn starting to pop.

“Since you’re from Deep Snow, you must know what happened to the other five great families in the past.”

“Ah, yeah, I do. But why bring that up all of a sudden?”

“Why do you think they fell? There were many reasons, but this is what I believe: instead of properly utilizing what was given to them, they wasted their efforts on pointless greed.”

“Hmm…….”

“If Bertha’s strength and Attic’s cunning had been put to good use, they would have played a significant role in the war against the demons a few years later and become heroes of the North. They might have even seized the demons’ stronghold and become its lords. They had power and influence that anyone would envy, yet they misused it, and instead of becoming heroes, they ended up with names worth less than stray dogs.”

Regret’s expression grew serious.

He wasn’t a traitor now, but as someone who had been one in the original story, he must have felt some emotional connection to the topic.

That was exactly why I deliberately used provocative words like heroes and worse than a dog.

“Pathetic, isn’t it? If they wanted to win over the people of the North, they should have relied on glorious achievements and the spirit of a true warrior. But they thought they could seize power through betrayal? Even if they had succeeded, they would have been nothing but scorned. Ah, look at me, getting too worked up. Sorry, I got off track.”

At this point, I made a dismissive gesture, as if shaking off my excessive immersion in the topic, to lighten the mood.

“Since you attended the tournament, you must know there’s a chance of war with the West soon. That’s why I believe having an excellent archer would be a great asset to strengthen our forces.”

I had talked so much that my mouth was getting dry.

At this point, Regret owed me a reaction.

I had done everything I could.

I had praised his talent.

I had completely discredited the idea of betrayal.

I had subtly stoked his ambition.

And I had hinted at a way for him to shine.

Regret’s goal wasn’t to become the Grand Duke of the North.

It was to become great.

To put it more bluntly, he wanted to be recognized for his abilities and achievements, to be celebrated as a hero.

That ambition had taken a twisted turn in Brave Road, leading to the events in the original story.

Dorgon had approached him, claiming that the royal family was only targeting Grace, a traitor plotting rebellion. He had promised that if Regret helped eliminate Grace, the royal family would hand over the North to him and withdraw their forces.

It was an absurd proposal.

But at the time, Regret had been so broken that he actually fell for it.

If the plan succeeded, he would become a hero who vanquished a traitor and saved the North from war—recognized under the royal family’s banner.

On top of that, his family background had also played a role.

I had learned the hidden truth from Elaine and understood why the Deep Snow family had acted the way they did.

The Deep Snow family, unlike the other five great houses, had bet on the underdog.

If they had sided with the traitors, they might have won.

But even if they did, they would still have to compete with the other great nobles.

On the other hand, if they supported Grace, then after the dust settled, only Deep Snow and North Rain would remain among the five great houses.

Aside from the ducal family, they would be the most powerful force in the North.

It was a purely political move.

And their gamble had paid off spectacularly.

‘The problem was that everything fell apart in the next phase.’

Grace and Isaac’s marriage never happened.

In the original story, there had even been a time when a prince had plotted to take over the North by marrying Grace and ensuring his lineage ruled it.

Deep Snow, having dismantled the old five-house system and allied themselves with North Rain, likely had the same idea.

The plan was to unite the two families.

But since North Rain consisted of only Grace, it essentially meant Deep Snow would swallow them up and become the dominant power.

‘In the novel, Regret was the only traitor. But if you think about it, the Deep Snow family, who agreed with his betrayal, were also traitors in their own right.’

How could Dorgon have known what was truly in the heart of a distant noble family’s second son?

All he saw was a powerful house with immense influence in the North—where the second son had no significant accomplishments.

So when they looked into him, they must have noticed the same scent of betrayal in him that they themselves carried.

‘The prince himself was directly involved in the tragedy that day, so there’s no way he wouldn’t have investigated it.’

From the series of actions taken by the Dipsnow family, he realized they were ambitious and sought to use that to his advantage.

Rigrid had long been preparing for his family to seize power after Grace’s generation, but with the failure of the marriage alliance, he ended up reaching into a treasure chest that had been left unopened.
As he worsened the situation alongside the mastermind, the Dipsnow family gradually sank into the swamp of betrayal without even realizing it.

In the end, if things continued as they were, they would find themselves accused of treason even if they won the war.
With no other choice left, they sided with Rigrid and chose rebellion.
This was truly a case where failure meant treason, but success meant revolution.

However, just as Dipsnow had grown stronger over the past eight years, Grace was no longer the inexperienced grand duke he had been back then.
Dipsnow met the same fate as the other five great families.

‘Lynell himself is ambitious, but he’s not evil. Even during the tournament, his attitude showed how much he cared for the North.’

That meant Dipsnow might have had ambition, but they wouldn’t have done anything to endanger the North before a war.
Considering Lynell’s moderate nature, even if he aimed for the position after Grace, he wouldn’t have tried to erase the Northrein family like the other family heads.

On the other hand, Rigrid prioritized himself over the North, which led him to commit such an act.
In other words, if I could win Rigrid over, the Dipsnow family’s power would be ours—unlike in the novel.

‘I’ve given him plenty of time to think. Now, it’s about time he gave me an answer.’

I watched Rigrid closely as he remained silent.
After a long moment of deep contemplation, he finally spoke.

“Luke.”

“What?”

“Thank you.”

Rigrid’s face broke into a smile.
But it was completely different from the ones he had been showing until now.

“I’ve made a lot of friends over the years, but you’re the first person who has looked at me so seriously and treated me this way.
And on top of that, you even gave me such sharp advice as if you could see right through my heart.”

Rigrid paused and let out a deep sigh.
It was filled with so much emotion that it seemed as though he was releasing everything that had been weighing him down.

“I’m really lucky to have met you.
To be honest, at first, I wanted to get close to you because I admired your talent and wanted to have it for myself…
But now, I feel nothing but gratitude for meeting someone like you.
How can I possibly put into words the joy of gaining a true friend like you?”

Grab.

“Luke! I was truly moved by your words!”

Rigrid grabbed both of my hands and leaned in close.

“You’re right—why have I been ignoring what I already have, envying others, and only yearning for more?
Even if what I possess is different from others, using it to achieve something new is the very spirit of the North, the pioneers of this frozen land!”

“…….”

“I’ve made up my mind.
I’ll stop holding onto regrets about being a knight and comparing myself to my brother.
If I truly have talent in archery, then I’ll use it to accomplish something great.
Isn’t that the path of someone truly remarkable?”

“Uh… yeah, that’s a great mindset. I’ll support you.”

“Support? No, my friend, you have to be with me!
You’re the one who encouraged me, so you need to witness my success firsthand and prove it to the world!”

Rigrid burst into laughter.
He always carried a smile, but it had usually been a soft and gentle one.
Now, he suddenly let out a bold and hearty laugh, startling those around us.

But Rigrid didn’t care about their gazes.
He just kept laughing, as if he had finally been freed.

‘Wow, I really need to get him into the escort squad somehow.’

As I watched Rigrid laugh, I felt a sense of accomplishment, knowing that I had completely won him over.
At the same time, I couldn’t help but feel a bit overwhelmed—maybe I had made a bigger impression than I intended.

Well, as I always say…
Good things are good things.