Book 1 Chapter 595

Leo, chin resting on his hand, gazed at the passing scenery outside the carriage.

Unlike the consistently cold northern continent and the hot southern continent, which was mostly desert, the western continent had a relatively distinct separation of seasons.

"It's been a while since we've gone on a family trip like this."

Reina, sitting opposite Leo, smiled faintly as she looked out the window.

"Are you okay?"

"What?"

"You didn't seem to want to come to Zerdinnger much, did you?"

"I suppose so."

Reina leaned her head against the window, gazing at the passing landscape.

The scenery she had seen since childhood was reflected in her red eyes.

In the distance, the massive walls of Zerdinnger could be seen.

The heroic family of Zerdinnger.

There was a time when she carried that name on her back.

'It was a glorious time.'

She recalled when she was a hero candidate, drawing the world's attention.

The beautiful knight of Zerdinnger.

She always ranked at the top of her class and graduated from Rumern as the top student.

Even after graduation, she accumulated countless achievements and was expected to be named in the Hero Record in a short period.

However, Reina did not become a hero.

During a hero dungeon raid, she sacrificed herself to save a friend who was on the brink of death.

She narrowly escaped with her life and returned, but Reina lost her Aura and became unable to fight any longer.

She could have remained in her family even after retiring.

Even if she couldn't fight, the Zerdinnger name wouldn't disappear.

But Reina ran away from her family to live the life she wanted.

"It's not that I had lingering regrets from the past that made me reluctant to come to Zerdinnger."

Reina smiled faintly.

"I'm much happier now than I was back then!"

She did not regret sacrificing herself for her dear friend.

She also did not regret abandoning her family's name.

"I married the person I love."

Reina leaned her head on Deid's shoulder, who was sitting next to her, and linked arms.

"And I gave birth to such a wonderful son."

"You two are still so affectionate."

"Of course. Mom and Dad will live happily like this forever. Right, Deid?"

"Of course, Reina."

Leo let out a wry laugh, watching his parents, who were still dripping with affection.

'Those two will be like that forever.'

It was as Leo shook his head.

"I didn't want to come to the main house because of the Elder Council."

Reina clicked her tongue.

"They'll probably say annoying things about the past again. Ugh, I'm so sick of it."

'Come to think of it, the Elder Council tried to arrange a political marriage between the current Emperor Rodren and my mother, didn't they?'

The Elder Council, concerned only with the prosperity of the Zerdinnger family, wanted to use Reina as a tool for a political marriage.

Even though she had lost her Aura, as a direct descendant of Zerdinnger and a renowned knight, Reina could have become empress if she had wished.

"I think Deid is a more wonderful husband than the Emperor!"

"That's embarrassing."

Deid smiled awkwardly.

"Anyway, now Leo has gained great renown, hasn't he?"

Reina smiled faintly.

"I figured they wouldn't spout that nonsense anymore, so I came quickly. Actually, I might even be able to tell the Elder Council off for what would have happened if I had married the Emperor back then."

The birth of an unprecedented hero.

The successor of the great hero who saved the world, recognized by God.

Of course, he was the one who achieved it, not just a successor, but Reina couldn't know that.

"Hehehe. I'm so delighted thinking about the old men's faces souring! Hahahaha!"

Leo shook his head at her witch-like laughter and looked out the window.

'A married couple.'

Beyond them being his parents in this life.

Leo was grateful to Deid and Reina.

Having been an orphan in his previous life, Leo, who never knew the warmth of parents, was taught about parental love and the joy of ordinary life by Deid and Reina.

'Their lives… taught me how much value our actions had.'

Leo looked at the two with a faint smile.

Seeing him, Reina let out a sigh.

'Our son is making that old man-like expression again.'

She knew that sometimes her son looked at her with eyes that were hard to fathom.

'That's why he's not fun to tease.'

Her epithet, "Witch of Flames," wasn't just because she enveloped enemies in flames on the battlefield.

It was an epithet she earned for occasionally tormenting those around her.

'Our son is so cute because he never flinches. He has no sense of humor.'

Reina, grumbling to herself, suddenly remembered something and smiled faintly.

"Speaking of which, Leo."

"Yes."

"Haven't you found a girlfriend yet?"

He was at an age where he would be interested in the opposite sex, being a teenage boy.

Moreover, there were many beautiful girls in Rumern.

'Surely our son has at least one girl he likes?'

"I have many girlfriends."

"What?"

Reina's expression was dumbfounded at Leo's answer.

"Are you seeing this girl, that girl? I didn't raise you like that!"

"I have many female friends. What were you thinking?"

"This kid is really playing with his mother."

Reina covered her face.

"You have so many pretty friends, why aren't you dating? Studying and training are good, but school days are for romance. There's Chelsea of the Rwallin family, and during the summer vacation, the girls named Chen Sia and Chloe were pretty too, weren't they?"

Reina recalled Leo's friends.

"Wasn't the name of Ellen and Berga's daughters Lunia and Ar? And there's also Eiran from the Ersar family."

One by one, listing the female students that came to mind, Reina tilted her head.

"With that many, I think they'd make excellent daughters-in-law. I want grandchildren soon, so I won't scold you for an early pregnancy."

"Are you telling me to make babies?"

"You're still a baby, aren't you?"

Reina looked incredulous.

Seeing Reina like that, Leo furrowed his brow.

"Ugh, how can you not even bat an eye? So uncharming."

"Mother, how old are you really?"

"In my heart, I'm eternally seventeen."

"You know that's pathetic, right?"

"Are you saying that to your mother so brazenly?"

Reina's forehead was bulging with veins as she pinched Leo's cheek with a bright smile.

While they were spending such precious family time together,

the carriage carrying the Flob family people had arrived at the main gate of Zerdinnger Castle.

***

As the carriage door opened, the first thing they saw were the Zerdinnger knights lined up on both sides, leaving a path clear in the middle.

Seeing this, Leo narrowed his eyes.

Even though she had renounced her family name, it was a visit from Reina, a former direct descendant.

As such, it wasn't strange for many to come out to welcome her.

However…

'I don't see a single person of Zerdinnger blood.'

Black hair and red eyes.

Not a single person appeared to be of Zerdinnger blood.

Moreover, the knights lined up exuded a sharp aura, each and every one of them.

It was clearly not a welcoming atmosphere.

If Leo had come alone, there would be no particular problem.

But Deid and Reina, who had come with Leo now, were essentially civilians.

Reina might be able to withstand the sharp aura even after losing her Aura, as she had consistently trained as a knight, but Deid was not.

While it wouldn't cause harm, his complexion would certainly turn pale.

'My mother was driven out of the family because she married my father.'

She hadn't expected them to welcome her with open arms, but she hadn't expected them to be so blatant.

Leo felt the same way.

It was only because the next heads of the family, Rhys and Celia, treated Leo with special attention, and because Leo had such great renown, that they hadn't openly expressed their displeasure.

'From the start, there were those within Zerdinnger who looked down on him for suddenly acquiring the title of direct descendant.'

Although Reina had said she would tell the Elder Council off,

she had come along out of concern that her young son might not receive fair treatment, even after achieving great feats as a hero.

Regardless, Zerdinnger was a heroic family with a long history.

As such, the interwoven interests within the family were also complex.

If they had thought, "They'll probably handle it themselves," who knows what might have happened.

Normally, Leo wouldn't have batted an eye at something like this.

But when the targets were Deid and Reina, the story was different.

Tap-

Leo stepped out of the carriage.

The knights' gazes shifted to Leo.

Stomp-!

"Kuhk?!"

"Gasp?"

The moment Leo took a step.

An overwhelming aura struck the knights.

'I welcome this childish power struggle.'

The sharp aura was instantly repelled.

The knights' faces turned pale.

Some of them were staggering.

Deid, who got out of the carriage behind Leo, looked momentarily puzzled at the sight.

Reina, holding Deid's hand as she stepped out of the carriage, understood the situation and narrowed her eyes.

"The knights who came to welcome us… are Elder Council knights."

Seeing the crests embroidered on the knights' shoulders, Reina clicked her tongue softly.

Then she looked at Leo.

"Father, Mother. Let's go."

At Leo's words, Deid nodded.

Thump-! Thump-!

As Leo passed, many people couldn't withstand it and fell to their knees.

Seeing that, Deid's face slightly stiffened.

He didn't know the details of the situation, but he knew there was an invisible battle between Leo and the knights.

Stomp-

Finally, the three from the Flob family stood in front of the mansion.

A moment later.

Creak-

The massive mansion door opened, and a robust old man, accompanied by what appeared to be elders, walked out.

Upon seeing the old man's face, Reina murmured.

"Father."

Hearing her words, Deid's expression tensed.

Leo looked at his maternal grandfather with a vacant gaze.

Regas Zerdinnger, the former head of Zerdinnger.

"It seems you didn't like the Elder Council's welcome."

Regas's gaze briefly lingered on Deid and Reina, then finally settled on Leo.

"Seeing you act out, Leo Zerdinnger."

At those words, Reina's eyes twitched, and Deid furrowed his brow.

Calling Leo by the surname Zerdinnger.

It was tantamount to denying Leo's paternal lineage.

Although he had been recognized as a direct descendant, Leo's surname had not changed.

At Regas's words, Leo smiled faintly.

"The welcome was terrible."

"How dare you speak such nonsense to the elders of the family!"

One of the elders behind Regas blurted out angrily.

Leo, completely ignoring him, said.

"And I didn't act out. The Elder Council knights are just weak."

"You insolent brat!"

"And most importantly."

Leo shrugged his shoulders.

"My name is Leo Flob. Senior Elder Regas Zerdinnger."

Regas, the old hero known as the "Heart of Flame."

He stared intently at Leo's red eyes, which met his gaze directly, and then curled the corners of his mouth.

"Indeed."

Regas stroked his beard.

"It seems you gave birth to a monster, Reina."

"Isn't calling my grandson a monster a bit harsh, Father? And what kind of grandfather tests his grandson whom he's meeting for the first time?"

Reina grumbled, and Regas burst into hearty laughter.

"I just wanted to see. How capable Leo Flob, who talks so much, is! Truly remarkable!"

Regas laughed as if amused and grinned.

"Welcome to Zerdinnger."