Book 1 Chapter 614

"I knew the Hero Slayer was heading to Payon and chased after him, but… it was already too late."

Abad fell into thought as he watched Anya report to Leo with her head bowed.

'They look like a king and his subject.'

Despite being the daughter of the Northern Archmage, Anya was acting like a subject reporting to her lord.

'And the Hero Slayer?'

Abad also knew well about the Hero Slayer who had plunged the world into terror long ago.

An era where great heroes of the past were reappearing.

'In this era, it's not strange for past villains to show themselves.'

But Anya had chased after the Hero Slayer.

It was only natural to punish a villain.

However, it was strange that the daughter of the Northern Archmage had left the northern continent, the domain of the Northern Archmage, to chase the Hero Slayer all the way here.

'Shadows?'

As Abad speculated about Anya's identity, he glanced at Leo.

Leo, listening to the story, was extremely calm.

"That's all."

"That's absurd. How could my aunt be kidnapped right in the middle of Payon?"

Celia's face showed shock.

"That must mean the Hero Slayer is that skilled."

At Leo's words, Celia bit her lip tightly.

Chelsea looked at Anya.

'She just said a moment ago that there might be an accomplice in Zerdginger for this incident.'

Anya didn't mention that.

Chelsea, feeling suspicious, then turned her gaze to Celia.

'She didn't say it to spare Celia.'

If she heard that now, Celia would undoubtedly be even more shocked.

"Leo? What are you going to do?"

"First, we need to go to Payon and head to the crime scene."

"Leo oppa, are you okay?"

Chelsea asked with a worried expression.

Leo nodded, seeing Chelsea's concern.

Leo smiled faintly and patted Celia, who was in shock, on the back.

"Celia, pull yourself together. The fact that they kidnapped your mother as a hostage means… at least your life won't be threatened for a while."

"Ah."

Celia startled, then bit her lip tightly and nodded.

"I'll help too, Rwalyn."

"Zerdginger won't like that."

"This is a matter of the empire's prestige, even before it's Zerdginger's problem."

A kidnapping incident had occurred right in the heart of Zerdginger, one of the two great heroic families of the Rodren Empire.

It was definitely going to cause problems.

"Besides, it's a friend's mother who was kidnapped. I can't just stand by."

At Abad's words, Chelsea nodded enthusiastically.

"Lord Leo. The Tussen Knights will also help."

Sis, who had been listening, said.

"If it's Lord Leo's mother, she is the daughter of Princess Rena. She can never be considered a stranger to the Tussen Knights."

"That's true. However, I don't think it's time for the Tussen Knights to intervene yet."

"Why is that?"

"First of all, the Tussen Knights are an external force from Zerdginger's perspective. It doesn't look good for the Rodren Empire to involve external forces in a family matter."

Their position is different from Rwalyn, who is also from the Rodren Empire.

If mishandled, it could escalate into a diplomatic issue.

"Besides, the Tussen Knights have their own work to do right now."

Dealing with the chaos caused by the destroyed royal palace.

And…

"You mean Lord Leo's coronation."

In terms of administrative procedures, it was enough for the Tussen Knights, who managed the Resentong region, to endorse Leo as king.

However, to officially announce the revival of the kingdom, proper preparations were necessary.

"Please."

"Leave it to me. I will prepare the new throne and wait for you."

Sis bowed her head.

"Let's get ready to go back."

"Hurry!"

Celia and Abad hurried to prepare for their return, tending to the retainers of Zerdginger and Rwalyn.

"I'll ask you for a favor."

Leo said as he sat down again.

Celia paused, seeing Leo.

'Right, Leo must have been the most shocked.'

Thinking he needed time to recover, Celia bit her lip tightly.

"Rest a little, Leo. Chelsea, you stay by Leo's side."

"Okay."

Celia left the room with Abad.

Only Leo, Chelsea, and Anya remained in the room.

"Leo oppa, actually…"

"Is this incident related to the Elder Council?"

"Huh? How did you know?"

Chelsea's expression was one of surprise.

However, Anya didn't seem surprised and bowed her head.

"Yes. You knew after all."

"It's suspicious."

Leo looked out the window into the night.

"The Hero Slayer might have targeted me. If he's that kind of guy, he would have coveted my abilities enough."

Leo's eyes narrowed.

"He would resort to all sorts of schemes to draw me out. He could plan to kidnap my mother to stir me up and draw me out."

Leo spoke with composure.

"But that incident happened in Payon."

Leo had prepared various things in case something happened to his father and mother.

Deid and Reina didn't know, but the Plove family was protected by Melina, the Dragon Lord.

Unless it was a demon of legion commander rank, they couldn't harm the two in the Plove family.

And the Undying King would not risk harming Deid and Reina by expending the power of a legion commander.

'He knows. That even if something happens to my father and mother, I won't falter.'

It's not that his father and mother aren't precious.

Indeed, now that he heard Reina had been kidnapped.

Leo was more enraged than ever.

He would eliminate everyone involved.

However, he wasn't consumed by that rage.

He maintained his composure and calmly assessed the situation.

Blind rage harms the one who is enraged, but calm rage harms the one who caused the rage.

'He's definitely not the type to do something that brings more loss than gain.'

Leo clenched his fist, thinking of the Undying King.

While in Zerdginger, Leo had told Melina that he didn't need to protect the two.

Payon was such a safe place that Leo had said that.

Yet Zerdginger's defenses were breached.

'There's no other explanation than that there was an inside helper.'

"Indeed, there was suspicious movement among Zerdginger's knights at the time. Of course, that alone doesn't make it easy to conclude there was a traitor within, but it's definitely possible."

And it wasn't difficult to deduce that the possible accomplice was the Elder Council.

Of course, it was just speculation.

"To be at ease, thinking they were on our side. I've become careless."

Leo let out a self-deprecating smile.

His red eyes gleamed.

Seeing that, Anya bowed her head.

"What shall we do?"

"Punishment will come after we obtain concrete evidence. For now, rescuing Mother is the urgent priority."

"Yes."

"Summon the Shadow Lords to Payon."

"Understood."

Anya retreated.

"Anya-ssi. You were a Shadow."

Chelsea murmured softly, as if she finally understood, then hesitated as she looked at Leo.

"Why?"

"Leo oppa… aren't you okay that Reina-nim was kidnapped?"

The Leo reflected in Chelsea's eyes seemed surprisingly calm.

Of course, when she first heard the news, Chelsea herself felt a terrifying aura for a moment.

But that was only for an instant.

After that, Leo maintained his composure.

Chelsea and Celia admired and followed Reina after hearing about her past.

Therefore, hearing about Reina felt like their insides were burning.

Abad was also very agitated, worried about Leo.

But Leo was serene.

'Does Leo oppa not think of Reina-nim as his mother?'

Leo was the Hero of the Beginning, Kyle.

His actual age was older than Reina's.

But even so, he was too calm.

Chelsea was scared by his demeanor.

It felt as if Leo and she were people from different worlds.

Leo smiled bitterly at Chelsea's question.

"I'm not okay. It's just…"

"Just?"

"I've just gotten used to losing things."

Leo looked down at his hands.

"Before I was called the Hero of the Beginning, I was called the Hero who Survives."

"The Hero who Survives?"

"Yes. In any battlefield, only I survived. Everyone else left before me."

"…"

Chelsea held her breath.

Leo, whom she had only admired.

She couldn't help but admire him.

From the moment they first met, he was the most heroic hero she had ever seen.

Later, after hearing Leo's secret from Aronn, she admired him even more.

His achievements shone so brightly.

But to achieve those accomplishments.

She had never deeply considered what Leo had lost to earn the praise he received now.

'I just thought Leo oppa was carrying too heavy a burden.'

So, she wanted to be a source of strength by his side and, if possible, share that burden with him.

'I've never considered the weight of that burden.'

Had Leo ever not treated her… and the fellow students from Rumern sincerely?

As future comrades who would stand on the battlefield together.

As heroes who would fight against the crisis of the world.

Hoping they would become so, Leo sincerely treated the distant young children who threw themselves at him.

'There's no way Leo oppa wouldn't care about Reina-nim.'

Chelsea clenched her fists.

'I don't know Leo oppa well.'

The Leo she knew was only a tiny part.

She disliked herself for feeling distant after seeing an aspect of him she didn't know.

"Chelsea."

"…Yes."

Falling into a frenzy of rage and messing things up might be foolish, but it was certainly a human trait.

"Don't become like this."

At Leo's poignant words, Chelsea bit her lip tightly.

***

That night.

Leo arrived in Payon via a warp gate and immediately headed to the crime scene.

The surrounding area was strictly guarded by Zerdginger knights.

"Young Master Leo."

A Zerdginger knight approached Leo.

"At the crime scene… Lord Plove is alone. I earnestly advised him to come inside because the weather is cold, but… he shows no sign of moving."

"…I'll go alone."

Leo said that to Chelsea, Celia, and Abad, and entered the crime scene.

As he approached the crime scene, Leo narrowed his eyes.

'Mother resisted as much as possible.'

Although Reina couldn't use her aura, she wasn't unable to use swordsmanship.

Damaged furniture was visible around.

And seeing the scorch marks, Leo stopped walking.

'…Zerdginger's flames?'

Leo, who had knelt down, scanned the scorched floor.

He felt the residue of mana he had never encountered before from the burnt marks.

But… it was a familiar residue.

'…Mother?'

Thinking that far, Leo stood up.

Then he headed towards Deid.

"Father."

"…Leo."

Deid looked at Leo with unfocused eyes.

"Because of your incompetent father… your mother…"

"…It's not your fault. It's mine."

"…It's my fault… it's my fault…"

Seeing Deid mumbling absentmindedly, Leo said,

"…I will definitely rescue Mother. So, take care of yourself first, Father. If you collapse too, I don't know what will happen to me."

At those words, Deid bit his lip tightly and nodded.

"I have a bit more investigating to do. I'll follow after I finish."

"…Understood."

Deid nodded and slowly moved away.

"Father, does Mother have a scar on her right chest…?"

"Yes. Why do you ask?"

"…I needed to confirm."

Leo smiled bitterly.

"…Don't push yourself too hard."

Deid, looking at his son with concern, left the place.

Whoosh.

A winter wind blew.

Leo, left alone, opened his mouth.

"You have something to do."

At that moment.

Countless elves, beastmen, and dwarves appeared from the darkness.

The Shadow Lords and the shadows that followed them.

"Command us, God of Shadows."

The Northern Archmage.

No, as Algren Beggs, the Northern Shadow Lord, knelt, the shadows also knelt in unison and bowed their heads.

Leo glanced towards the castle visible in the distance.

"Uncover the darkness of Zerdginger Castle. Find those involved in this incident."

"Are you ordering the execution of everyone you find?"

At the question from Kirin, the Southern Shadow Lord, Leo said calmly,

"No."

His red eyes flashed.

"I will kill them."