Book 1 Chapter 608

The middle-aged man was doing paperwork in his office, which offered a clear view of the Blue Tower's garden.

*Knock, knock-*

A knight entered with a knock.

"Commander."

"What is it?"

"We have a guest."

"That's strange. I hadn't heard of any delegations being sent from Lodren."

Ciss said, without looking up from his documents.

The knight replied,

"It is not a delegation from Lodren."

Ciss's hand paused for a moment at the words.

Then he clicked his tongue and said,

"Turn them away."

Ciss Zigma.

He was the commander of the Tussin Knights, who effectively managed the Lessentong region.

As a hero known as the Crimson Wave, he was also the man publicly referred to as the master of Lessentong.

The Lessentong region became extremely cold in winter due to the influence of the northern continent.

However, in spring, summer, and autumn, it was a land with a very warm climate due to the influence of the fire spirits residing there.

Moreover, since most of the territory was vast plains, it was the breadbasket of the western continent where grain grew well.

In addition, as it was a land where the Great Fire Spirit had resided for a long time, it also produced high-grade spirit stones.

Therefore, countless countries wanted to trade with the Lessentong region.

However, the Tussin Knights officially interacted with only one country: the Lodren Empire.

Decades ago.

When the Tonken Kingdom was invaded by Tartarus on a large scale, most of the countries that were allies of Tonken watched it fall.

This was to prevent the damage from spreading to their own territories due to the unusual scale of Tartarus's invasion at the time.

Furthermore, they refused the request for support because the Lodren Empire, the hegemon of the west, dispatched a large number of heroes and troops.

The invasion of Tartarus was eventually repelled, but in the process, all the royal family of Tonken either lost their lives or went missing.

Tonken, which suffered great damage, naturally perished and disappeared from the pages of history.

Subsequently, the Tussin Knights, who inherited Tonken's legacy, severed ties with the countries that were allies at the time but had turned a blind eye to the crisis.

In response to Ciss's sharp reaction, the knight quickly corrected himself.

"It's not a delegation from another country. The guests are from Lodren. It's a sudden visit, not a delegation."

"Hmm?"

"People from Zerdinger and Lewalin have arrived."

"Zerdinger and Lewalin?"

Ciss took his eyes off the documents and stood up.

He then approached the large window in the room and looked outside.

He showed a puzzled expression as he saw the four people at the forefront.

"They look familiar."

"It's Leo Flove, the student council president of Lumern, and from the same year, Celia Zerdinger, Abad Lewalin, and Chelsea Lewalin."

"Indeed. They are the ones making waves these days."

Ciss exclaimed.

"Then I should go and greet the guests."

***

After revealing their identities, Leo and his party were easily guided to the reception room.

"I heard the Tussin Knights are not friendly to foreign nobles. It's a relief that we could meet the Crimson Wave without much difficulty."

"Our empire and the Tussin Knights have been in continuous exchange. Even so, I thought it would take time to meet Ciss immediately because it was a sudden visit, but I never expected to see him this soon."

The Tussin Knights manage the Lessentong region.

The commander of such a knight order could be considered the highest authority in this region.

In fact, Ciss had risen to the rank of a hero.

The master of the fertile Lessentong region.

In other words, he was a man with the status of a king.

Even if the direct descendants of Zerdinger and Lewalin had come, a sudden visit would require procedural steps for an audience.

Yet, they could meet him so quickly.

"I was a little surprised, given how busy you must be with your duties."

As Celia spoke in a slightly flustered voice, a middle-aged knight who was listening at the entrance to the reception room smiled faintly.

"It's because our visitors are Leo and Celia."

"Me and Leo?"

"Yes. The previous head of the Zerdinger family spared no support in helping the Lessentong region, which had been devastated by the Tartarus invasion, to rebuild quickly."

"My grandfather?"

"Yes. While helping to rebuild the Lessentong region, he asked for nothing in return. Later, Tussin tried to repay the favor, but he flatly refused. And he did not publicize his help for the Lessentong region."

Deep respect was evident in the middle-aged knight's eyes.

It was likely that Legas's generous support for the reconstruction of the Lessentong region was greatly influenced by his wife, Nyla.

But no matter how much he loved his wife, it was not easy for a family head to help others without any compensation.

Especially for someone who had so much.

'Come to think of it, Grandpa had almost no personal property.'

Even as a family head, one cannot do whatever they please with all the family's assets.

Therefore, they usually create assets that can be freely managed.

Especially for the head of the Zerdinger family, one of the greatest hero families, wealth would naturally accumulate.

Legas had none of that.

The reason for this seemed to be that he had secretly helped the Lessentong region.

Leo, who had been listening to the story, murmured.

"He is a knight among knights."

"Huh? Grandpa is naturally the best knight. He was the previous head of the Zerdinger family, the greatest knight family! Of course…"

"That's not what I mean."

Leo chuckled at Celia's words.

"It means he inherited a spirit passed down since ancient times."

A noble and righteous soul who does not hesitate to sacrifice for the weak and fights against injustice.

Literally, the epitome of a knight of honor.

There are certainly things in the world more valuable than territory and wealth.

If others didn't know, the direct descendants of Zerdinger knew this fact well.

'That's probably why they are called the greatest knight family.'

At Leo's words, Celia raised her chin and said,

"Of course, he's my grandfather."

It was then that Leo chuckled at her words.

The reception room door opened, and a middle-aged man appeared.

The middle-aged man's first impression reminded Leo of a fair and principled judge who valued rules.

After looking at the other party for a moment, Leo muttered to himself.

'A spirit knight? And a strong one at that.'

An aura like that of a veteran warrior who had fought through countless battlefields.

He was a strong individual with power comparable to the heroes Leo had met so far.

'Is this Tussin's commander, Ciss Zigma?'

Leo looked at Ciss without a word.

As soon as Ciss entered the room, he looked at Leo.

More precisely, he looked back and forth between Leo and Celia.

The eyes of the upright-looking man flickered for a moment.

The knights in the reception room bowed to Ciss.

"Would you please leave so I can talk to our guest?"

The knights looked puzzled at the sudden request, but they immediately left the reception room.

Until then, Ciss had been staring intently at Leo and Celia.

After a moment, Ciss opened his mouth.

"The mages of Lewalin…"

"They are my friends, so please speak freely."

Chelsea and Abad had already been explained the situation.

At that, Ciss nodded.

"Then I'll ask directly."

Ciss said, staring intently at Leo.

"What is your relationship with the royal family of Tonken?"

Leo looked slightly surprised at the question.

Celia was also startled.

Seeing their reaction, Ciss said,

"My family, the Zigma family, has been close confidants of the Tonken royal family for a long time. I myself met the royal family only once when I was very young, before Tonken fell. So, I vaguely remember their appearance."

The records of Tonken from long ago had all disappeared during the invasion of Tartarus.

The remaining records were all in the Tonken royal palace, but the royal palace was currently sealed.

There were no portraits or records left.

Also, since there were no hero artifacts, the Hero Records could not be opened either.

Therefore, the appearance of the Tonken royal family remained only in the memories of those who met them before they all disappeared.

Ciss was one of those people.

"I didn't recognize them when I saw pictures of the direct descendants of Zerdinger… but now that I see you, I am reminded of them from my memory. Celia Zerdinger, your appearance greatly resembles that of the princesses."

'Grandpa and my father often said I resembled Grandma.'

Celia muttered to herself.

"And Leo Flove."

Ciss's gaze was fixed on Leo.

"The color of your hair is the same as that of the Tonken royal family members I saw back then."

He could not know from black and white photos in the newspaper.

It was only known that they had white hair.

But seeing them in person, Leo's hair was the same color as the Tonken royal family members Ciss remembered.

At Ciss's words, Leo fiddled with his hair.

'My grandmother, Nyla Zerdinger, dyed her hair after she married my grandfather, Legas, and became the mistress of Zerdinger, right?'

It was a strange hair color that was not found in his paternal family, the Flove family, nor in his maternal family, the Zerdinger family, so it seemed he inherited this hair color from this side.

"I'll ask again. What is your relationship with the Tonken royal family?"

At Ciss's question, Celia looked at Leo.

Leo then opened his mouth.

"My grandmother, Nyla Zerdinger, who was the wife of the former head of the Zerdinger family, Legas Zerdinger, her real name is Rena Tonken."

At those words, Ciss's body trembled.

"Princess Rena's?"

Leo handed over the documents he had received from Legas.

After confirming them, Ciss took a breath.

An artifact in the form of a pendant was enclosed with the documents.

In the cubic of the pendant, a red spirit stone was embedded, and the crest of the Tonken royal family was clearly imprinted on the spirit stone.

Legas Zerdinger, who had helped rebuild the devastated Lessentong region for decades without any compensation.

In return for that favor, the Tussin Knights had wished to fall under Zerdinger's command, but Legas Zerdinger refused.

He finally understood why he had done so.

"Why… me… Tussin… How long have the people of Tonken been searching for members of the royal family."

Among the young and old, the name Tonken had already been forgotten.

There was nothing left to remember Tonken.

Tartarus had thoroughly turned everything related to Tonken into ashes in the Lessentong region.

The only remaining legacy was the Tonken royal palace.

What has no record is quickly forgotten.

Even if one wants to teach and inherit, it is impossible without records.

Even the beginning hero who saved the world was completely forgotten in people's memories.

However, those who lived during the reign of the royal family at that time still remembered.

The members of the royal family who threw themselves for the sake of the people.

How much sweat and blood they shed to build a good country.

"My grandmother… lived her whole life with guilt for not being able to protect many people. The country eventually fell, and she felt responsible for the many sacrifices made in the process. As the sole survivor of the royal family, she said she could not reign over those she failed to protect, and that she was happy if the people of this land were happy."

"Ah… how could you think that."

Ciss, who had long searched for survivors of the royal family and eventually given up, could only lament.

He never dreamed that a descendant of the royal family would be alive so close by.

Ciss, who lowered his head and shed tears, soon raised his head.

His eyes were filled with fierce determination.

"Now, only the return of this land to its rightful owner remains."

Ciss's eyes turned to Leo and Celia.

"Who will be the king?"

At those words, Celia looked at Leo.

"It's Leo Flove."

Ciss nodded as if he understood.

"I will prepare the coronation ceremony immediately! So that you can ascend the throne tomorrow!"

At those words, Celia looked surprised.

"Tomorrow?"

"Yes! Lessentong has been without a king for too long! Since the rightful owner has returned, you must ascend the throne and announce it to the world, even tomorrow!"

"But there are preparations, aren't there? Preparing for a coronation in one day. It's physically impossible."

"What is impossible in this world?"

'This person. He had a cool image just a moment ago, but why is he suddenly acting so recklessly?'

Celia looked flustered.

Leo looked at Ciss and was reminded of someone.

'He's like Depeser.'

Depeser.

He was a dragon who served Lisinas as a Gold Dragon.

He was also the dragon in charge of Gardsron's internal affairs.

He usually had a meticulous personality, but when it came to matters related to a great hero, he would get so worked up.

His demeanor and sudden recklessness reminded Leo of him, who had lost his life long ago.

Leo, who burst into laughter, said,

"Let's do that slowly. Before that."

"Yes, please tell me."

Ciss, whose tone had changed, said politely.

'The Tonken royal family must have been really good people.'

Just by being of Tonken lineage, his attitude changed so drastically.

"I want to meet the Spirit of Purification."

***

The city where Zerdinger's main residence was located.

Payon.

Reina was walking through the streets of her hometown with her husband for the first time in a long time.

"It's still the same here."

Seeing Reina with a pleased expression, Deid asked with a worried look.

"Reina, are you feeling alright?"

"Of course. Walking like this is actually refreshing and good for me."

Reina smiled faintly.

The attendants of the Flove family were anxious, worried about their mistress's health.

"Ma'am. Shall I buy you something warm?"

"Reina-nim. Put on gloves if you're cold."

"Hehe, thank you. But it's fine now, so don't fuss."

Reina, who laughed with her hand covering her mouth, sighed softly.

"I wanted to go to Retin with the children."

"It's not too late to go after you feel a little better."

"Okay."

At Deid's words, Reina, who had been smiling brightly, stopped walking.

"Reina?"

Deid looked flustered.

Reina, clutching her right chest, hunched over.

"Reina?"

"Gasp! Ma'am!"

Deid and the attendants examined Reina's condition.

"Oh, were you alive?"

At the voice from in front of them, Reina felt her head turn ice cold.

When she looked up, she saw flames.

*Whoosh-*

Flames that were too familiar.

'My flames?'

"It's good to meet prey from long ago again."