Book 1 Chapter 1035
1035.
Even though it was a small city, perhaps because of its urban scale, the festival was quite splendid.
Leo, who had been wandering around the central plaza, entered a restaurant, ordered food, and asked,
“What is this festival celebrating?”
“Oh, you must be a guest from out of town.”
The server, who looked to be about Leo’s age, smiled faintly and said,
“This festival is an anniversary celebrating Lord Kael’s birth.”
At those words, Leo flinched.
Luna and Rena also widened their eyes.
‘Now that I think about it.’
Leo, looking at the calendar on one side of the shop, nodded.
The calendar created in the Age of Gods had remained unchanged for thousands of years and was still in use in the Age of Heroes.
“Is that really something to celebrate so much?”
“Of course! Lord Kael is the great hero who saved the world and a hero who symbolizes us humans. You shouldn’t say such impious things carelessly!”
Leo burst out laughing, looking at the server who was reprimanding him in a stern voice.
At his laugh, the server’s face flushed slightly.
“Ahem! Anyway, I’ll confirm your order.”
After confirming the order, the server glanced at Leo’s face one more time, then hurriedly headed to the kitchen.
“Are you going around charming everyone like that?”
“Charming everyone, hardly.”
Leo replied indifferently to Luna’s question.
Then, he glanced at Rena.
‘A granddaughter.’
Leo still felt a strange sensation about Rena’s existence.
‘Would it be right to say it feels unreal?’
Leo had no idea how to treat Rena.
It was then, as Leo silently watched Rena.
Suddenly, Rena placed both hands on the table, palms facing each other, and stared intently between them.
Rena, who had been silent with a serious face, occasionally made grunting sounds as if exerting effort.
Leo, who had been staring intently at her, said,
“If you’re in a hurry, go to the bathroom.”
At those words, Rena flinched, then glared at Leo with a face full of dissatisfaction.
Young Luna punched Leo’s side with her fist.
“Can’t you even make a joke?”
When Leo clicked his tongue in response, Luna snarled fiercely.
“There’s a time and place for jokes.”
At those words, Leo clicked his tongue once more and spread his palm.
“Watch closely.”
With those words, spiritual power shimmered above Leo’s palm.
Rena, who had been staring at the gray spiritual power with wide eyes, once again strained her whole body.
Rena, who had momentarily seen Luna’s spirit earlier, thought she might have talent as a summoner.
That’s why she kept trying to generate spiritual power.
Watching Rena struggle and exert effort once again, Leo said,
“Spiritual power isn’t aura. It doesn’t manifest just by exerting force.”
Then he posed a question to Rena.
“Do you know what form aura manifests in?”
“Yes. Aura is a power that processes natural mana and accumulates it in the body, and it manifests by burning that power.”
“And magic power?”
“Magic power is the force that occurs when mana is amplified.”
“Then, spiritual power?”
“Spiritual power is the force that occurs when it resonates with natural mana.”
“That’s right. You know well. So, there’s no need to specifically exert force when manifesting spiritual power.”
Of course, Rena also knew this fact.
But she had overlooked it due to impatience.
“Close your eyes.”
Following Leo’s words, Rena closed her eyes.
“Take a slow, deep breath.”
“Inhale… Exhale.”
“Feel the mana around you.”
Following Leo’s words, Rena gradually fell into a trance.
Leo placed his finger on Rena’s forehead.
Beyond Rena’s consciousness, a shimmer of pure white light appeared.
Rena’s eyes opened.
“Hmm. You really can handle spiritual power, can’t you?”
Leo wore a surprised expression.
As Leo resonated with the mana around Rena, who had fallen into a trance,
Rena also naturally resonated with her own mana in response.
“Does a new ability awaken so suddenly like this?”
Young Luna asked with a puzzled expression.
“Sometimes. I could only use aura at first too.”
Leo, looking at the surprised Rena, said,
“Since you didn’t use spiritual power yourself, it won’t be easy to adapt. You’ll have to put in a lot of effort, won’t you?”
“Yes! Thank you! Grandpa! I love you!”
Rena said with a bright smile.
Leo, who had flinched watching Rena, soon burst into laughter and stroked her head.
Young Luna, watching the scene, said,
“By the way, you teach well.”
“That’s because the person who taught me magic and summoning arts taught me well.”
“Hmm? Your first love?”
As Leo shrugged at Luna’s narrowed-eyed remark, the server brought the ordered food.
“Here! This is our restaurant’s special menu that you ordered!”
Saying so, the server placed three beer mugs in front of Leo.
“This is a service! Because it’s a festival!”
“Thank you.”
“E-enjoy your meal!”
The server hurriedly went back.
“Nice. We even got a service.”
Saying that, Rena furtively reached out for a beer mug.
Smack!
Leo slapped Rena’s hand.
“What’s a kid doing with alcohol?”
“Hmph. Just one glass.”
“No.”
“Then why aren’t you saying anything to Luna?!”
Rena protested, pointing at Luna who was taking a beer mug.
“Even though she looks like that on the outside, she’s actually old.”
“Hey. Could you omit the part about actually being old? Unlike my old future self, I’m still young and fresh, you know?!”
Luna, with narrowed eyes, examined the beer mug from various angles.
In fact, young Luna had never had alcohol before.
The moment she sniffed the beer with curious eyes and took a sip into her mouth—
“Ptui! Ptooey! What?! Why does this taste like this? It’s awful!”
[How young! To not know that taste yet. If you chug a glass, the refreshing feeling… Ah~]
Luna, in her spirit form, enjoyed imagining herself drinking beer.
“Is it bad?”
“It’s bad! My adult self tricked me! Why on earth would anyone drink this?!”
Luna frowned.
Watching Luna, Leo sighed.
“To be so pure, and then become such a drunkard in the future.”
[What?!]
Spirit Luna glared.
They bickered like that and began their meal.
Songs were playing, and some people were dancing in the restaurant.
While celebrating and praising the Great Hero Kael, there were also those who lauded the Heroes of Creation.
Because without them, they wouldn’t have been able to hold a festival celebrating Kael’s birth like this.
“By the way, I left it to Seirun… Nothing bad will happen, right?”
As Luna spoke with a slightly worried tone, Leo said,
“Even if something happens, it doesn’t matter.”
“Why?”
“Because they’ll be able to overcome any situation that arises.”
Leo showed strong trust in his juniors.
After finishing their meal, they explored the festival street.
Luna, who had been happily enjoying the festival, suddenly clicked her tongue as she saw Leo and Rena, who were still awkward with each other.
‘Still so stiff.’
[From Kael’s perspective, he must be flustered. A granddaughter suddenly appeared.]
The two Lunas, who had been watching Leo and Rena from a little behind with their arms crossed, made eye contact and nodded simultaneously.
“Leo. I’m tired. I’ll go and sleep first.”
“Then let’s go in.”
“Rena seems to want to play a bit more, doesn’t she?”
“Huh? I’m fine…”
“Go have fun and come back. I’ll go to the accommodation first.”
Luna quickly cleared the space.
Leo subtly clicked his tongue, watching Luna disappear into the crowd.
Her intention was obvious.
“What do you want to do?”
Rena also noticed Luna’s intention.
But she hesitated, glancing around.
Watching Rena, Leo said,
“Then let’s look around a bit more before heading back. She even made an effort to be considerate.”
“Yes!”
Watching the joyful Rena, Leo once again felt a strange sensation.
The goodwill and affection he felt from Rena were something Leo was experiencing for the first time.
It was different from the affection of a colleague or friend.
It was also different from the affection one feels for a romantic partner.
It resembled the maternal love his mother, Reyna, had for Leo.
‘Family.’
A word both familiar and somehow awkward.
Rena, who respected and followed him as a granddaughter, seemed happy just by spending time with him, yet also seemed sad.
Leo, watching her, asked,
“What kind of grandfather was I?”
At those words, Rena paused, thought for a moment, and then said,
“You were a good grandfather to your grandchildren. You played with them well and even personally taught them how to prank their parents.”
“It seems my future self became senile.”
Rena giggled at Leo’s words.
“You were a respectable person.”
At those words, Leo said nothing.
As they were looking around the street, Rena’s steps suddenly stopped.
Leo glanced at where Rena was looking.
A street vendor was selling accessories.
Leo approached the street vendor.
“Welcome!”
“Pick one.”
“Huh?”
“Wasn’t there something you wanted?”
“Um… well…”
Rena rolled her eyes around.
Seeing her, Leo said,
“If you can’t choose, should I pick one for you?”
After quickly scanning the accessories, Leo bought a hair clip with a small bear character face.
And he bought another ring with a flower-shaped decoration.
“Thank you!”
The street vendor smiled broadly and greeted them.
“Here.”
“Tsk… What is this? A childish bear hair clip?”
“I think it suits you well, for a little kid like you.”
Rena, who had a slightly pouting expression at Leo’s words, took the hair clip and put it in her hair.
“It suits you. It’s cute.”
“Really?”
Rena, whose pouting expression had completely vanished, genuinely liked it.
Leo, who burst out laughing at that, checked the time and said,
“It’s too late. Let’s go back.”
“Yes!”
Rena replied with a bright smile.
“Was the date fun?”
Upon arriving at the accommodation, Luna, who was waiting, smiled faintly and asked.
Leo tossed a ring with a flower decoration to Luna.
“I bought it on the way.”
Luna, who received it, widened her eyes.
“Wow! Cute!”
Then, she smiled happily and tried it on her finger.
Luna, who was examining the ring from various angles, noticed Rena’s hair clip and said,
“Rena’s hair clip is cute too.”
“Hehehe.”
Watching Luna and Rena laugh joyfully, Leo let out a small laugh.
***
The next day, at dawn.
Leo woke up early and took Luna and Rena across Lake Lumeria.
Leo’s eyes twitched as he arrived at the center of the island, which would become the site of Lumerne, after dealing with the underwater monsters that poured out almost continuously.
“Leo?”
Young Luna called Leo with a puzzled expression.
Sring-!
Leo drew his sword.
Thump- thump-
Along with that, footsteps were heard.
Rena, looking ahead, wore a wary expression.
“Bellian!”
Rena tried to draw her sword.
Leo stopped Rena.
“No.”
“…?”
“It’s Erebus.”
At those words, Erebus, in Bellian’s form, grinned.
“Should I say it’s been a while? The surviving hero.”