Regina Rena – To the Unforgiven

Value Recognition

Translated by Wook
Edited by Wook

Early in the morning, the Southern Knights gathered for the first time in a long time.

Rena was on her way to meet the knights, but she was dressed in light ladies’ clothes, not uniforms.

The reason was simple. She wouldn’t be well-received anyway, why would she wear the commander’s clothes.

‘The atmosphere will be worse than before.’

Rena thought the knights would be more cold-hearted than at the first meeting.

Even after the first expedition was over, they resented Rena, and then the emperor was mad because of one of the knights. Maybe the knights thought it was Rena’s fault.

In the midst of this, there were even rumors that she was dating the Eastern Duke, so Rena will not be considered several times more from their point of view.

‘I hope I won’t hear anything weird.’

What did he say last time? A woman who’s good with her tongue?

Those who say that and laugh will be able to demean Rena’s love story.

Rena didn’t want her relationship with Lynn to be treated that way. So she hurried to the meeting with the intention of telling the necessary stories quickly before coming out.

However, the reality was very different from Rena’s expectations.

“We’ve been waiting, Sir Rena.”

A knight greeted Rena with a respectful salute.

He was the one who told Rena at the last meeting that he could not recognize her as a commander.

Rena was dumbfounded and looked at the knights who formed a line and saluted her.

“What happened all of a sudden?”

“We were rude in the past.”

The knight politely apologized before Rena could say anything. So Rena tilted her head and asked.

“Have you stopped believing in superstitions?”

“Even then, I didn’t believe in superstition.”

“Then what?”

When Rena asked, the knight looked at Rena for a moment. Then he said in a more serious voice.

“I’ve been told that Sir was The Executioner.”

Rena closed her eyes tightly involuntarily at the word “Executioner”. Rena was very embarrassed by the nickname.

When Rena was ashamed, the knight added with a solemn face.

“If you had said it earlier, I would not have committed such a disrespect.”

“Even if I don’t say anything, you shouldn’t commit such disrespect.”

Rena muttered helplessly, but the knights did not take offense. He simply agreed and accepted with a humble face.

Because of that, Rena was amazed.

‘Is that why their attitudes changed like this?’

If she had known this would happen, she would have said it right away.

‘No, it would have been useless to talk about it back then.’

In the midst of distrust and dissatisfaction, they would have only laughed if she said she was actually The Executioner. Rather, it should have been considered that the name of The Executioner worked because it was after the first expedition.

A mysterious woman who made a contribution by herself, turns out to be The Executioner. It was a picture that seemed plausible.

But do you really need to change your attitude like this?

‘I knew they were innocent people, but…’

Rena laughed helplessly at the attitude of the knights that changed like the flip of a palm.

She didn’t mean to criticize them for that. It is the principle of the world to bow and bend depending on the situation, so it was not that she could not understand their changes.

“I will take your apology. Anyway, we have to be together.”

In the end, Rena spoke more gently, and the knights who had stood stiffly were relieved secretly.

“I’m sure you all know why we’re here today. The next expedition schedule has come out. And from the next day, we have to be in charge of monitoring the rift.”

Without delay, Rena took out her business, because she thought they would be worried.

“Everyone must be under a lot of pressure, so you don’t have to worry too much. I’m going to go on the next expedition by myself. And we decided to receive support from the East for the surveillance mission, so sirs here can help the Eastern Knights in their respective positions.”

Rena thought that the cowardly Southern Knights would be relieved to hear this. However, Rena’s expectations were again wrong.

For some reason, the expressions of the knights were strange. Far from being reassured, they looked at Rena like a child whose gift had been taken away.

“Is there any problem?”

When Rena asked, the knights did not say anything. They just lowered their gaze, saying there was nothing wrong.

.

.

.

Rena explained the future schedule and missions to the knights, and instructed them to plan the shifts themselves.

After talking like that, she turned around, and a knight chased Rena.

“Sir Rena!”

The one who called Rena from the hallway was the knight who always spoke on behalf of the other knights.

Rena stopped at the call and tried to answer him, but realized later that she didn’t know his name yet.

“Sir…”

“This is Eden Pieta, the eldest son of Count Pieta.”

“Ah, yes…”

Rena nodded her head and suddenly remembered the list of knights the Southern Duke had shown her.

She had laughed at a family whose son was only 10 years apart from his father. And that family was of Count Pieta.

As Rena recalled the report and blinked her eyes, Eden confessed.

“Actually, I’m the count’s younger brother.”

“Ah.”

“A half-brother.”

“Ah…”

As Rena nodded deeply at the circumstances she suddenly found out, Eden shifted the topic with humility.

“There is something I want to discuss about this mission.”

“And what’s that?”

“First of all, I have full confidence in Sir Rena’s judgment for the expedition. However, I would like to ask if the rift surveillance mission must be supported by the East.”

“What does that mean?”

When Rena asked why, Eden bit his lower lip for a moment. Then he answered in a gloomy voice.

“With the help of the East, our face will really fall to the floor.”

Rena’s eyes widened at Eden’s words.

I’m sorry, but Rena really thought that they weren’t in the position to care about face or reputation. 

So she said frankly.

“I think it’s more important to save your life than to keep your face.”

“But Sir, sometimes things are more important than life.”

“Is that saving face?”

“No, it’s acknowledgment.”

Eden answered with a firm face.

“As you know, we have been drawn from each family. Most of us were pushed away because we’re unwanted, so everyone decided to risk their lives. But looking at Sir, I realized that before we even started, we were engulfed in a sense of defeat.”

“It’s not a sense of defeat…”

Was realistic the right word here?

Rena struggled to put up with this backstory.

But, as if he had not heard Rena’s little voice, Eden continued to speak forcefully.

“Sir knows how it feels. The pain of being abandoned because of not being recognized by the family.”

Rena’s expression hardened at Eden’s words. Eden realized Rena’s agitation and asked again.

“We need a chance to return to our family proudly. So please reconsider it.”

Eden said so and bowed his head, and Rena looked at him silently.

After a while, Rena spoke again.

“I’m sorry, but I can’t gamble.”

At the words of refusal, Eden raised his head again. But before he spoke, Rena added:

“But I will consider your opinion thoroughly.”

***

“What are you thinking about?”

It was a low-pitched voice that was nice to hear.

Rena, who was immersed in her thoughts, smiled as she turned to the side from where she heard the voice. Through the thick darkness, she saw a person as pretty as the moon.

It was Lynn.

A secret meeting continued in the garden late at night today. It was no longer a secret, it was an open secret meeting between the Eastern Duke and the Southern Representative.

“I had a lot of work yesterday and today.”

“What happened?”

“I met Her Majesty yesterday, and I saw the knights today.”

“… May I ask what you talked about with the emperor?”

“Well, there is something I want to tell you…”

Rena blurred the end of her speech and threw her gaze over the overgrown branches. She then murmured to the shadows cast by the palace windows.

“There are a lot of eyes watching.”

Lynn sighed while looking at the same place as Rena.

The late-night secret meeting, which was once only time for the two of them, was no longer secret or quiet.

This is because the relationship between the Eastern Duke and Southern Representative became official, and rumors spread secretly that they met in the garden every night.

So, some nobles started spying to confirm the rumors with their own eyes, and thanks to this, Rena and Lynn were being watched by the nobles clinging to the palace window of the lake.

“Shall we move?”

“Then the rumors would grow bigger.”

“Who cares?”

Lynn smiled and held out his hand. It didn’t mean to catch it, but to come this way.

Rena correctly understood the gesture. But instead of moving her steps, she quietly looked at the hand, and then gently grabbed it.

When Lynn was surprised by the unexpected touch, Rena added calmly.

“It’s strange if we walk separately. We’re lovers.”

If you can’t do anything excessive, you should at least hold hands.

Rena thought so, and she stood next to Lynn. Then she asked him, who was silent.

“Are you uncomfortable?”

“No…”

Lynn replied softly, and soon held Rena’s hand. Then he muttered as he looked somewhere.

“I think it’s necessary to show it. People are suspicious.”

“Suspicious about what?”

“That I’m using you.”

“Pfft!”

Rena burst out laughing involuntarily at Lynn’s whisper. Then Lynn added even more shamefully.

“Even the East doesn’t seem to trust me very much…”

At Lynn’s sad voice, Rena grabbed her stomach and laughed.

It seems like everyone is suspicious of the cold-hearted and arrogant Eastern Duke, who is said to be in a relationship. They said that he has no affection for the Southern Representative, and only aims for her body and abilities, and that he does that to screw the Southern Duke.

“People don’t know Mr. Lynn too much.”

Rena barely stopped laughing and she said. Then she clasped Lynn’s hand and vowed.

“We need to show them more of a good relationship.”

Rena smiled broadly as she said that, and Lynn also struggled to smile.

In fact, Lynn was even more disturbed by the sensation of his fingers digging into Rena’s fingers.

Holding hands with Rena affectionately, she was smiling brightly and their fingers interlocked. All of those were good signs.

Thanks to this, Lynn, who was secretly excited, looked at Rena’s hand in his hand, feeling his heart rate rising.

Looking at it, he somehow became greedy. So Lynn moved without realizing it.

“We’re not just good friends…”

Lynn said so and pulled Rena’s hand. As Rena was helplessly dragged by the sudden force, Lynn pushed Rena lightly toward the beautiful tree next to them.

As Rena’s back touched the tree, Lynn approached her and bowed his head over Rena’s.

Then he whispered softly.

“It should look like we like each other more than that.”

The appearance of the two overlapping people seemed like they were kissing each other. However, the only parts touched were their hands and toes, but rather, tension soared because they could not reach each other.

Rena, who was driven in an instant, was startled and lost her words for a moment.

Lynn’s shoulder, which came down to Rena’s sight, covered the moonlight. His thick shoulders were unfamiliar for no reason, so Rena blinked her eyes for a moment.

When Rena was silent, Rin asked cautiously.

“Are you uncomfortable?”

“… No.”

In fact, she was uncomfortable. She was embarrassed that she was uncomfortable, but Rena didn’t want him to find out, so she replied softly.

However, her voice trembled.

“Really?”

Lynn questioned back without noticing, and Rena was a little annoyed. So she secretly chewed on her lower lip, and put her hand on his neck.

Then, Lynn’s shoulders trembled this time. Rena, who clearly felt his tension, spoke calmly this time.

“Yes, really. How about Mr. Lynn?”

“… Me too.”

He said it was okay, but Lynn felt his neck getting hot.

So he hit his forehead on the tree to hide my face. Thanks to this, the two became closer together.

The two did not move in that state. Actually, they didn’t know how to move. Even if it was just two, it would be difficult, not to mention now there were many eyes.

So Rena and Lynn pretended to be kissing and covered themselves for a long time.

“… I talked about Duke Naja with Her Majesty yesterday.”

After a while, Rena started talking as if trying to push the awkwardness away. Lynn nodded slightly as if in agreement.

“She offered to give me the position of Duke Naja.”

“… what position?”

“Not the Eastern duke position of course, rather than that…”

Then Lynn suddenly raised his head.

When Rena paused her speech in surprise, Lynn asked back with a serious face.

“Did she say she’d kill you if you disappointed her?”

In response to the exact question, Rena nodded her head involuntarily.