Book 1 Chapter 599
“Yes?”
Reina’s eyes widened as she examined the documents Leo had received.
“Isn’t this outside imperial territory? And in the Resenten region? How does Father own this golden land?”
“That’s right. Do you like this father’s gift?”
“You must have made quite a fortune during your time as head of the family? When did you stuff your pockets so much?”
At Reina’s words, Regas covered his face.
“You’re saying things that could be misunderstood if someone heard them. It’s land left by your mother.”
“Mom? Mom had this much land?!”
“Your mother was the princess of the Duchy of Tonken, which ruled the Resenten region.”
“Mom was royalty?”
Reina’s expression showed surprise at the fact she never knew.
“Kingdom of Tonken? That’s the first time I’ve heard of it?”
As Leo tilted his head, Regas said,
“That’s probably because it was a heroic kingdom that was destroyed before your mother was even born.”
Heroic Kingdom.
It refers to countries the size of duchies founded by powerful heroes.
“Your grandfather’s kingdom was destroyed by Tartarus’s invasion when he was about Lise’s age.”
At those words, Leo showed a puzzled expression.
“Then, didn’t another force establish itself in the Resenten region?”
“The force that has established itself in the Resenten region now is the Tussan Knights, the elite knight order of Tonken. Loyal to Tonken, they are still searching for Tonken’s bloodline even after so many years.”
“Why did Mom keep her origins a secret from us until now? And why didn’t she return to Tonken even though she was royalty? Wouldn’t the Tussan Knights have immediately acclaimed her as queen?”
Seeing Reina’s puzzled expression, Regas gave a wry smile.
“If she had returned to Tonken, your mother would surely have become queen. But Naila felt a great sense of guilt for not being able to prevent the fall of Tonken. She refused to return to her homeland her entire life, saying she couldn’t reign over land she couldn’t protect.”
The former lady of Zerdinger.
Naila Zerdinger was also renowned as a noble knight.
“Is it okay to pass on such land to me?”
“I know that your goal as a hero is the complete annihilation of Erebus.”
A grand dream that was the wish of all those living in the world, yet no one dared to utter it.
“Your mother resembled your grandmother a lot.”
Regas smiled wistfully as he looked at his daughter.
“She used to say, the reason someone is born with power is that there must be a reason for the power they were born with.”
“She did say that.”
Reina nodded.
“Her belief was that such power should be used to protect the weak and good. Although some mocked it as sacrifice. I believe the world has won against great evil precisely because of such noble people. And Leo.”
Regas’s red eyes turned towards Leo.
“You are someone who does not hesitate to dedicate yourself to the world.”
Regas had watched Leo’s actions since his entrance exam.
And he was deeply impressed by Leo’s progress.
It wasn’t simply because he was a grandson with outstanding talent.
It was because he glimpsed the shadow of a true hero in Leo.
He would pull up those who could be rivals in front of him, and sometimes support them from behind.
Even though he could easily go ahead, he never ran alone.
He would wait for those who lagged behind and grow together.
Seeing that, he knew.
That the absurd goal of complete annihilation of Erebus was serious.
“I thought you were worthy of inheriting your grandmother’s legacy.”
Regas fiddled with the pendant around his neck.
Inside it was a photo of his wife, who had passed away long ago.
“Power has many forms. Individual strength is power, but the forces one commands are also immense and not to be ignored.”
The reason Reina wanted to pass on a large territory to her son was also for this reason.
That territory would undoubtedly be the foundation for Leo to build his influence.
Individual strength has its limits.
When Leo has forces to support him.
He believed that Leo could finally spread his wings as a hero.
‘The path Leo is about to walk will never be smooth.’
“If Tonken’s legacy is used to achieve world peace. Your grandmother would be happier than anyone. That is why I am passing on that land to you.”
At those words, Leo nodded.
“Father.”
“Are you perhaps moved by this father’s heart?”
“You’re not thinking of just brushing this off, are you? This is an inheritance from Mother, so you have to calculate what Zerdinger owes separately and give it to Leo, okay?”
“……”
Seeing Reina, who was determined to get what was hers, Regas asked,
“Who on earth did you take after?”
“Mom.”
***
Celia, who had been waiting in front of the Elder’s corridor, hurried to ask as soon as Leo came out.
“How did it go?”
To Celia’s urgent question, Leo replied,
“For now, it’s roughly settled that I’ll inherit the territory in the northern imperial region.”
“What? Most of our family’s territory in the northern imperial region is a barren mountain range!”
“I’ll receive a portion of the land my mother was supposed to inherit when I graduate.”
“That’s absurd! It’s not even enough to inherit all of Aunt’s legacy right now!”
Celia retorted indignantly.
“You seem more upset than I am?”
“This is a matter of treatment! Did Aunt just stand by?”
“Young lady, please calm down.”
“Ah, Young lady.”
Niel and Martina calmed Celia down.
“She didn’t just stand by. She caused a fuss by saying she’d marry me to Chelsea.”
“Wh-what!?”
“Chelsea? Chelsea of Lewalin?!”
Martina and Niel looked shocked.
“What is that supposed to mean! Why would you marry Chelsea Lewalin! I absolutely cannot allow it!”
Celia’s face flushed as she retorted indignantly.
The other knights of Leo also gaped in surprise.
At those words, Leo said,
“Why are you so surprised? I’m not really going to do that.”
“R-right? Yes! You wouldn’t marry Chelsea Lewalin!”
Celia calmed her racing heart.
“So?”
“Grandfather stepped in and mediated.”
“How?”
“For now, I agreed to follow the Elder Council’s opinion, but they decided to give me the Resenten region.”
“Resenten region? That’s not imperial territory, is it? It has no connection to our family at all? Is there perhaps a separate region called Resenten within the empire?”
“I believe there isn’t.”
Niel shook his head.
“It’s the northern imperial region. I heard that land belonged to our grandmother.”
Leo told Celia what he had heard from Regas.
Hearing the story, Celia’s expression showed surprise.
“What? Then you… became the rightful owner of Tonken?”
“That’s right.”
“Then you’re a king?”
“Does it work out that way?”
“Really, you are something else.”
Even in a situation where he had inherited an entire country, he seemed unfazed.
‘He truly has a big capacity.’
“I’m thinking of going to Resenten in two days.”
“Then I’ll go too. My grandmother’s land. I’m curious.”
Celia’s eyes sparkled.
Seeing her, Leo chuckled and looked down at his hand.
‘A king.’
He recalled a friend who was called the King of Wisdom.
‘I’m becoming more and more like him.’
***
To Lise, who had suppressed the Eastern rebellion, three people approached.
“Excellent. Lise, to suppress the rebellion so quickly with no casualties. Truly worthy of being my rival.”
Ulta flapped his arms and put on a show.
Behind Ulta, Torua clicked his tongue.
“If it were my magic, it could have been resolved more cleanly and simply.”
“I can’t make you, a guest, do this kind of thing. Besides, it could cause diplomatic problems.”
Seeing Lise smile benignly, Jamua licked his lips.
“I miss my free student days when this happened.”
“Yeah. Right. Even if we caused trouble, the school handled the aftermath.”
Torua nodded in agreement.
“What kind of magic idiot and muscle-bound idiot did such a shameful thing? As an excellent student, I can’t understand such problematic individuals.”
“You were the worst, you know?”
Torua poked Ulta’s head with his staff.
Jamua, who was clicking his tongue at the two bickering, asked upon seeing Lise’s serious expression,
“What’s wrong? Is something the matter?”
“No, I heard something that’s bothering me a little.”
“What did you hear?”
“While suppressing the enemies, many people shouted ‘devil’s flame’ when they saw my flames.”
“Devil’s flame?”
Jamua furrowed his brow.
“Yes. And they feared it as if they had seen my flames before.”
Zerdinger’s flames are crimson flames imbued with the power of a phoenix.
Ordinary fiery auras or magical flames.
They are distinctly different from the flames of mythical beasts and spirits.
Anyone could tell they were Zerdinger’s flames.
“Your family’s flames are the phoenix’s flames.”
“That’s right. And in Rodren, only Zerdinger wields the power of the phoenix.”
“Isn’t it just that they were mistaken?”
“I wish that were the case, but…”
They were clearly afraid of Zerdinger’s flames.
Rebels had witnessed Zerdinger’s flames multiple times, flames that an ordinary person would be lucky to see once in a lifetime.
‘It’s bothersome.’
“Or, Lise, I’ve recently created a new interrogation magic, would you like me to help?”
Torua sat next to Lise and asked.
Seeing Torua like that, Jamua clicked his tongue.
“Have you already forgotten that outsiders shouldn’t interfere in this incident?”
“Tsk tsk. Jamua. As I’ve always said, you lack so much love.”
“What is that supposed to mean out of the blue?”
“Don’t you truly understand that Torua’s desire to help Lise is love?”
“What nonsense is that?”
Seeing Torua scowling, Ulta spread his arms.
“There’s no need to hide it. Torua. I saw it. On the morning of graduation, I saw you coming out of Lise’s dorm room window!”
“What? After denying it so much, you guys were in a relationship after all?”
Upon hearing Ulta’s words, Jamua smiled slyly.
Seeing the two like that, Torua smiled faintly.
“Yes. But that fact is a secret between Lise and me.”
“Now it’s not a secret between just the two of you? Since Ulta and I know.”
“No. It will remain a secret between the two of you forever?”
“How?”
“You just have to kill those who know the secret.”
As soon as they heard that, Ulta and Jamua ran away without looking back.
Torua chased after them as if he would really kill them.
Seeing their retreating figures, Lise sighed.
“It seems they haven’t changed even after graduating.”
***
“Did you miss them?”
Torua clicked his tongue in exasperation.
“I can deal with Ulta, but I need to do something about Jamua, that loose-lipped guy.”
Torua stroked his chin and fell into thought.
‘Jamua’s brain is probably as hardened as his muscles, so wouldn’t it be okay to cast a strong mind-manipulating spell?’
Someone who was seriously contemplating returned towards Lise’s direction, realized someone was blocking their path, and looked up.
The man, wearing a black hood, held a sword.
‘Rebel?’
Just as Torua looked puzzled.
“Torua Yan?”
“You know me?”
“I’ve heard you’re a famous hero candidate of this era.”
The man’s lips curved into a smile under the hood.
“I need to take your magic.”
Fwoosh-!
Crimson flames erupted from the man’s sword.
Torua’s eyes widened.
The flames were all too familiar.
Flames he had seen from the moment he entered Lumerne until his graduation.
“Zerdinger’s flames?”