Next Life – Chapter 174

Sieg, Fried, and Nergal were growing up quickly.

“Heh, I could probably blow away the entire continent if I wanted to,” Nergal declared, puffing out her chest with pride.

Despite her young age, she possessed a beauty inherited from her mother, and her white dress suited her perfectly. If only she didn’t say such dangerous things, Sieg and Fried would have been proud to call her their sister. In fact, passersby on the road often cast them fond glances.

“Stop saying things like that,” Sieg and Fried said in unison, stopping her.

They were on their way to play somewhere far away, just the three of them. Normally, as a prince and princess, they would have been accompanied by a large escort when going out. However, there wasn’t a single person who looked like a guard in sight. The reason for this was the girl named Nergal. Despite being only seven or eight years old, she possessed a strength that ranked among the top five in the Kingdom of Tubant. Anyone unfamiliar with this fact would surely be shocked, but the people of Taliant would likely faint if they heard it. Ranking in the top five in the country meant she was on par with Marius, Auraniess, Sophia, and Iris. Nergal had just informed her two older brothers of this fact. However, knowing her personality, she wasn’t boasting to them.

“That’s why I’ll protect you, my brothers. Don’t worry,” she assured them.

“U-uh-huh,” the two brothers replied, nodding with a complex mix of emotions they didn’t show on their faces. This young sister, in her own way, deeply admired them. Having been told by their beloved father, “If anything happens, you must protect your brothers,” she was very enthusiastic.

Given their upbringing, Sieg and Fried were well aware of their own limitations. They also understood, to some extent, the unfairness of the world. That didn’t mean they felt pathetic relying entirely on their sister. Their pride as brothers hadn’t completely vanished. Perhaps that very conflict was the source of their inner turmoil.

While they were out playing, they had no specific destination. If anything, their purpose was to observe and learn about the world. The Kingdom of Tubant was generally a very peaceful country. Its king, Marius, was one of the greatest heroes in history, and Auraniess was also there. Furthermore, with figures like Iris, Sophia, Zofi, and El, Al, it was said that “if they really wanted to, they could conquer the world even without Marius and Auraniess.” Such a country rarely attracted villains. The crucial part was “rarely,” meaning they did exist sometimes. Despite the dangers, there was little competition, which was a significant factor. Some individuals believed they could succeed if they were careful enough not to draw the attention of those capable of world conquest. It was strange, but criminals never disappeared, despite being called “fools,” “idiots,” and “reckless.”

“That’s what Father used to say,” Sieg and Fried recalled their father’s words. Being naturally serious, they diligently remembered his advice and tried to internalize it. Their current actions were in line with their father’s words, “People who don’t know the reality cannot govern well.” Although their father didn’t seem to do much work on a daily basis, he actually thought from a commoner’s perspective, greatly impressing their mother and the government officials.

“To think we have to succeed him, we have it tough,” Fried sighed deeply. The shadow of their too-great father weighed heavily on them, but they didn’t feel like running away or harboring resentment towards him. They were aware of the boundless love they received from their parents, and more importantly, the adults never imposed anything on them unilaterally. They had heard that their father, Marius, disliked doing such things.

“If it’s too much, then we’ll just think of something else. There’s no need to expect too much from them,” Marius had said. Hearing these words, the two felt as if a great burden had been lifted. Of course, depending on their personalities, they might have sulked, thinking “Father doesn’t expect anything from us.” However, it had worked out for the better. Marius, upon learning this, secretly thought, “El is amazing,” but only the familiar spirit who had offered the advice knew this.

“Don’t worry, Brother Fried. I’m here with you,” Nergal declared, thumping her flat chest.

“That’s reassuring,” Sieg replied, although eight parts of his statement were flattery. His brotherly pride dictated that he wanted to avoid relying on his sister for anything other than her strength. Or perhaps it was a matter of pride. Nergal, lacking the perceptiveness for such nuances, said innocently, “Besides, El is here too.”

“Eh…” Unlike their sister’s unwavering trust, the brothers reacted with subtle unease. The girl who sensed this tilted her head in puzzlement. “El is kind, smart, and reliable, you know?”

“Hmm…” They couldn’t deny that. But something felt off. Deep down, Sieg and Fried felt so. El was undeniably intelligent and dependable, but her feelings were directed solely at the three’s father. She only treated them well because their father doted on them; otherwise, she might be very cold. Sieg and Fried harbored such doubts. Zofi and Al had similar tendencies, yet they felt a sense of familiarity.

“Iris and Sophia also play with me often,” Nergal added.

“…Sister, I think that’s incorrect,” Sieg pointed out hesitantly. Iris and Sophia were kind and polite to Marius and Nergal, but that was it. They were clearly distant towards him, Fried, and other people. Even if that was an exaggeration, it was clear they had no intention of forming warm relationships. It was obvious enough for children to understand, so they weren’t hiding it. Moreover, they were merely personal subordinates of Auraniess and had no ties to Marius or the Kingdom of Tubant. Marius treated them with respect and politeness as Auraniess’s partner, but there was no need for them to get along with anyone else. Perhaps the reason they often played—or rather, trained—with Nergal was to hone their still-unskilled young mistress.

(Should I say something?) Sieg, who was already showing signs of being a worrywart despite his young age, thought it might be better not to correct Nergal if she interpreted their interactions as “playing.”

As the three walked deeper into the deserted area, men began to follow them.

(Someone’s following us.) Nergal notified her two brothers via telepathy in a completely natural manner.

(Not the guards?) Sieg asked back magically. Though it was only possible because of Nergal that he could do this.

(Yeah, I don’t know their presence. They might be bad people.) Nergal reported. For her, distinguishing and remembering the presences of people she had met was as easy as breathing or blinking.

(Well, we can’t be sure yet.) Sieg acted cautiously. The biggest factor in this was his sister. If his sister already possessed combat power comparable to the Demon Lord, a few ruffians wouldn’t be a problem. However, if they were innocent people rather than villains, any improper response would be problematic. Their young brotherly hearts soon discovered their worries were unfounded. After the three entered a secluded forest, five men caught up and surrounded them.

“You shouldn’t be here, little ones. It’s not safe for children to come to a place like this alone,” one of them said. Had he said it with a worried expression, Nergal might have considered him a good person. But with a condescending smile, it was difficult for anyone, let alone Nergal, to classify him as such.

“Are you bad guys, Mr.?” Nergal asked directly, prompting a burst of laughter.

“You’re quite perceptive, little miss. But it’s too late now.” One of the ignorant and pitiful men reached out to the young girl. In the next moment, he vanished.

“Punch to the Heavens☆” Nergal exclaimed as she punched the man away. The man who had been struck by the young girl flew higher than the clouds in an instant and then plummeted to the ground, crashing with a thud. He was dead before he even hit the ground, though he had died the moment he was struck.

“……Huh?”

“……Eh?” The men couldn’t comprehend what had just happened, unlike Nergal’s young brothers who let out a sigh. Then, merciless attacks followed.

“Kick to Hell☆” The remaining men also met their demise the moment they heard the cute voice. Those who dared to lay hands on children paid the price for their foolishness in not learning the lesson of “choosing their opponents.”

“There really are strange people out there,” Nergal murmured with a disappointed tone after effortlessly dispatching the men with her nightmarish strength. Her voice was laced with anger, anger at the scoundrels who dared to do ill in her beloved father’s country. Her two older brothers exchanged glances, and then tried to appease her.

“It can’t be helped. Come on, let’s keep moving,” Sieg said.

“Muu,” the girl grumbled, appeased by her brother, but she said nothing more, following her brothers. For them, it was just another ordinary day.

Next Life Volume 3 is scheduled for release on August 29th.