Book 1 Chapter 602

602.

A warp gate located halfway up a mountain.

As soon as they exited the entrance, they came to an observatory that offered a panoramic view of the city.

Chelsea, who had rushed to the observatory, grabbed the railing.

"Wow! This is Retin, the central city of the Resenten province!"

Chelsea exclaimed as she looked down at the city.

Whoooooosh-!

A cold winter wind, carried by an updraft, ruffled Chelsea's hair.

"Refreshing!"

Despite the chilly winter wind, Chelsea giggled.

It seemed that this winter wind was actually pleasant for Chelsea, the wind mage.

"Lalala~ La~"

A cheerful song flowed from Chelsea's lips.

"Hey! Leo! What's going on! Why is that annoying Chelsea Lewalin here!"

"We're spending our vacation in the same country, so wouldn't it be nice to spend it together?"

Celia grabbed Leo and shook him violently.

"Even in the same country, do you know how large our empire's territory is?! And what's so nice about it!"

Chelsea, who heard their conversation, quickly turned her head towards the two of them.

For a moment, Chelsea and Celia's gazes met.

Chelsea pulled down the skin under her right eye with her right index finger and stuck out her tongue.

"Do I have to see that mess even during vacation!"

Abad, who was watching Celia, who was showing strong resistance, from the side, smiled faintly.

"You two get along well."

"Do you think these two get along well?!"

Abad just smiled as he watched Celia get upset.

"Young lady, please calm down. There are many eyes watching now."

Startled by his words, Celia looked around.

The curious gazes of the passengers leaving the warp gate were directed at Celia.

Seeing that, Celia cleared her throat and adjusted her clothes.

Instantly, Celia, who had returned to being a perfect young lady from a prestigious family, spoke to Niel.

"Thank you, Niel unnie."

"As a knight of ZerdinGER, and as your escort knight, it is my duty to serve you, young lady."

Niel, who was wearing light armor unlike Celia, punched his chest with his fist.

"The Roda family always thinks of ZerdinGER's honor."

Celia smiled at his reliable appearance.

Celia and Niel were not just in a lord-vassal relationship; they had been like sisters since childhood.

Although Celia always strived for perfection, she occasionally showed a lapse when she got excited, like a moment ago.

Whenever that happened, Niel would take care of Celia like an older sister.

'I feel reassured when I'm with Niel unnie.'

"Abad-sama. I bought a traveler's guide book sold at the warp gate."

"Huh? Matchel Lugia? What are you doing here!"

"As a mage of Lewalin, it is my duty to assist Abad-sama and Chelsea-sama, isn't it?"

"Duty, my foot! Where do you think you are coming!"

"Hmph. This will be the territory of Leo-sama."

"I never understood why you call that person Leo-sama! He is a direct descendant of ZerdinGER!"

"Before that, he is the heir of the Flowb family! A close friend of Abad-sama and Chelsea-sama! That alone is enough for me to call him -sama, don't you think?"

"That's ridiculous!"

Niel and Matchel, who started arguing with their foreheads touching.

The surrounding attention was immediately drawn to the much larger commotion compared to the one Celia had caused earlier.

"Oh my? Why are they fighting?"

"That family crest… it looks like ZerdinGER and Lewalin."

"Ah, the two heroic noble families of Lordren?"

"They said they didn't get along, and it seems they really don't."

"I think the knight will win."

"No, wouldn't the male mage win?"

People coming and going through the warp gate began to whisper.

As attention was suddenly drawn to them, Celia covered her face with her hands as if embarrassed, and Abad gave a troubled smile.

At this point, it was difficult for Celia and Abad to stop them.

"Leo, please stop them."

Celia said hastily in a small voice, but there was no reply.

"Leo?"

Celia, who had removed her hands from her face, glanced sideways.

Leo, who had been there a moment ago, was gone.

"Se, Celia-sama. Leo-sama is over there…"

Martina, who had accompanied Leo, cautiously pointed in one direction.

There, Leo was looking at the scenery of Retin with Chelsea.

"Leo oppa, why are you specifically putting coins in and using binoculars? You can easily solve it with magic."

"I think this has its own charm."

"Is that so?"

Celia felt a surge of anger at their behavior, as if they had nothing to do with them and were drawing a line.

"You two! Please stop them!"

Celia walked up to the two of them and said through clenched teeth.

"Who are you? Do you know Leo oppa?"

"I've never seen you before."

As Leo and Chelsea looked at her as if she were a strange person, Celia's red eyes sparkled.

Seeing that, Leo muttered inwardly.

'If I tease her any further, she'll explode.'

Chelsea, as if sensing that, clicked her tongue softly.

"I don't want to get caught up in those two fighting."

"What?"

"You still don't know?"

Chelsea's face flickered slightly.

"Chelsea-sama is much prettier than Celia ZerdinGER!"

"Don't be ridiculous! Celia-sama is prettier! Men prefer the beautiful and cool, valiant type like Celia-sama!"

"You're talking a lot for someone who isn't even a man! Chelsea-sama is like a delicate flower…"

"Celia-sama is like a rose too!"

Celia's mouth gaped at their shouts.

"Wh-what is that?"

"Those two! They always bring us up when they fight!"

Chelsea also let out a scream.

Chelsea had encountered Niel with Matchel on the street at school before.

The two of them inevitably started quarreling, and after growling at each other, they began boasting about Celia, Chelsea, and Abad, arguing about who was more amazing.

The two of them were from different departments and were such bitter enemies that it was rare to see them bump into each other, but it was already a famous spectacle among the upperclassmen.

Naturally, for Chelsea, it was an event that made her want to die of embarrassment on the spot.

Seeing those two, Celia remembered something seniors had said to her inexplicably.

"Oh my~ a rose."

"The world's strongest young lady is passing by."

"Was it all because of that?!"

"If Celia-sama set her mind to it, seducing your young master would be a piece of cake!"

"Ridiculous! Abad-sama, on the other hand, is the one who…"

"Kyaaaaaaaak!"

Celia, her face completely red, screamed and ran at full speed towards Niel.

Abad, who always reacted with composure, seemed flustered this time too, and lunged at Matchel to cover his mouth.

Just then, Leo's Slayer Knights approached.

"Young master. What should we do?"

Austin asked cautiously, and Leo smiled faintly.

"I don't know them."

"Me neither."

Chelsea agreed with Leo's words.

At that, Carin cautiously opened her mouth.

"Young master."

"Why?"

"Can we pretend to be part of your group?"

At that, Leo gestured with his chin to the back.

"Stick together."

"Yes."

At that, Leo's knights quickly stood behind Leo.

Seeing that, Chelsea exclaimed.

"You're quick to assess the situation."

"We learned from Leo-sama that it's important to pick the right side."

The other knights nodded at Carin's words.

Seeing that, Chelsea shook her head.

***

"I'm sorry! Celia-sama!"

"I'm sorry! Abad-sama!"

Niel and Matchel bowed 90 degrees to the lords they served, respectively.

Celia smiled awkwardly at Niel and shook her head.

"It's okay, Niel unnie. I often do that with Chelsea too."

"You know we fought often since we were kids, right? So don't feel too sorry, Matchel."

Abad also patted Matchel on the back.

Chelsea, who had been watching them intently, said carelessly.

"But we don't embarrass our families to this extent."

At that, the two of them drooped their shoulders.

Celia and Abad glared at Chelsea, who said that.

Flustered by that, Chelsea quickly hid behind Leo and peeked out her head.

The group was currently in a cafe not far from the warp gate, trying to warm themselves up.

No matter how well-trained knights and mages were, there was no benefit to being exposed to the cold winter wind.

The Resenten province, in particular, was located close to the northern part of the continent, which could be called a land of extreme cold.

Abad, while drinking a warm beverage to warm himself up, asked.

"Speaking of which, Celia, I heard that some of your graduated seniors are in ZerdinGER?"

"Yes. Senior Jamua, Senior Torua, and Senior Ulta are here."

"It would have been nice to greet them."

"They are currently with Riss oppa, suppressing rebels, so they are not in the family anyway."

Leo and Celia had also come to Resenten without hearing from their graduated seniors, including Riss.

"Leo oppa, are you planning to go directly to the Cyan Hall in Retin like this?"

Chelsea asked while eating ice cream.

The people of the Lewalin family had come here at Leo's invitation.

As such, they had no choice but to follow where Leo went.

"Well."

Leo flipped through a travel guide for tourists.

Regas had perfectly prepared the documents proving Leo was the rightful owner of the Resenten province.

Not only the land deeds of the Resenten province, but also the certificate proving Leo's grandmother, Naila ZerdinGER, was a legitimate descendant of the Tunkon Kingdom.

In addition, there were even artifacts to prove it.

Retin was once the capital of Tunkon.

The Cyan Hall of Retin was the central government that extended administrative power to the entire Resenten province.

And the supreme authority here, Siss Zigmar, was the commander of the Tussen Knights.

"But even if the documents are perfect, will the Tussen Knights readily hand over the entire province to Leo oppa?"

It had been decades since Tunkon fell.

Many people had already forgotten about the country of Tunkon.

Even the people living in this land found the name Tunkon unfamiliar.

It was questionable whether an ancient royal family would be readily enthroned as king even if they returned.

"My grandfather said that the legacy of Tunkon here in Retin can only be accessed by those who are qualified. He said that the Tussen Knights need that legacy to gain true power."

"Ah. But what is that legacy?"

"The blessing of Istar, the Great Spirit of Fire and Purification."

"Come to think of it, didn't the founding king of Tunkon make a covenant with the spirit of purification?"

Retin is the birthplace of the current Great Spirit of Fire and Purification, Istar. Long ago, it was an active volcano.

However, the Giant King of Tartarus attacked this place to destroy the spirit of purification.

At that time, the founding king of Tunkon, as Istar's covenantee, fought alongside him.

In the process, all the power of the volcano was used, and Retin became an extinct volcano.

The Giant King eventually retreated without achieving his goal.

"The founding king of Tunkon, who had overused his strength in that battle, died, and Istar, in return for that, was supposed to bestow a blessing upon the royal family of Tunkon?"

Celia crossed her arms.

Originally, the Tussen Knights were a powerful order that commanded the entire continent.

However, by now, their strength had weakened to the point where they could barely manage the Resenten province.

The reason for this was the absence of the Tunkon royal family.

Chelsea asked Celia.

"But is qualification based on bloodline?"

"As a Great Spirit, it would be difficult to gain qualification solely through bloodline. There will definitely be a test."

"Leo oppa can easily pass any test, though!"

Chelsea snorted with a grin.

Hearing Chelsea's words, Arti muttered to Leo so only he could hear.

-Istar is known for being ill-tempered, so it won't be easy, master.

As an artifact that has been around since the founding of the Lordren Empire, he knew well about the Great Spirit residing in the neighboring province.

-If that spirit doesn't like Leo, things will get a bit difficult.

Elsi muttered worriedly, and Laruel, the oldest Great Spirit alive, scoffed.

-What makes him think he can reject Lord Leo? If he rejects him, I'll just twist his wrist.

-T-twist his wrist…! Laruel! Can you do that to me? Haaak! Haaak!

The artifact reacted violently to his aggressive words.

At that moment, Leo, who was reading the guidebook, spoke.

"This city is famous for its hot springs."

Celia tilted her head at his sudden murmur.

"Of course. That's why this city is renowned as a tourist city."

Leo raised his head and glanced to the right.

The ZerdinGER escorts, accompanying Leo and Celia, were sitting there.

Leo turned his gaze and looked to the left this time.

Similarly, there were people from Lewalin accompanying Chelsea and Abad.

Leo sat in the center of them.

"Let's go to the Cyan Hall tomorrow."

"What? Then what will we do first?"

Seeing Celia with a puzzled expression, Leo smiled faintly.

"Sightseeing."