Book 1 Chapter 614
614.
“I knew the Hero Slayer was headed to Payon and chased after them, but… it was already too late.”
Avard fell deep into thought as he watched Anya report to Leo, bowing her head.
‘Like a king and his subject.’
Despite being the daughter of the Northern Magic Tower Lord, Anya was acting like a vassal reporting to her liege.
‘Moreover, the Hero Slayer?’
Avard, too, knew well about the Hero Slayer who had plunged the world into fear long ago.
It was an era where the great heroes of the past were reappearing.
‘In such an era, it wouldn’t be strange for the villains of the past to reappear.’
Yet, Anya had chased that Hero Slayer.
Punishing villains was a perfectly natural thing to do.
However, it was strange for the daughter of the Northern Magic Tower Lord to leave the northern part of the continent, the domain of the Northern Magic Tower, and pursue the Hero Slayer all the way here.
‘A shadow?’
Avard glanced at Leo, guessing Anya’s true identity.
Leo remained extremely calm as he listened to the story.
“That is all.”
“That’s impossible. How could Auntie be kidnapped in the middle of Payon?”
Celia looked shocked.
“That means the Hero Slayer is that capable.”
Celia bit her lip tightly at Leo’s words.
Chelsea looked at Anya.
‘She clearly said a little while ago that there might be a collaborator for this incident inside Zerdinger.’
Anya didn’t mention that story.
Chelsea, feeling puzzled, turned her gaze to Celia.
‘She didn’t say it out of consideration for Celia.’
If Celia heard that story too now, she would surely be even more shocked.
“Leo? What are you going to do?”
“First, we need to go to Payon and check out the crime scene.”
“Leo, are you okay?”
Chelsea asked with a worried face.
Leo nodded, looking at Chelsea.
Leo smiled faintly, then approached the shocked Celia and patted her back.
“Celia, snap out of it too. The fact that they specifically kidnapped Mother as a hostage means that, at least for a while, her life won’t be in danger.”
“Ah.”
Celia startled, then bit her lip tightly and nodded.
“Rwalin will help too.”
“Wouldn’t Zerdinger disapprove?”
“It’s a matter of the Empire’s prestige before it’s Zerdinger’s problem.”
A kidnapping had occurred in the heart of Zerdinger, one of the two great heroic noble families of the Lodren Empire.
It was certainly an issue.
“Besides, it’s a friend’s mother who was kidnapped. We can’t just stand by.”
Chelsea nodded, “Mmm-hmm!” at Avard’s words.
“Lord Leo. The Tusen Knights will also help.”
Sis, who had been listening to the conversation, spoke.
“If it’s Lord Leo’s mother, she is Princess Lena’s daughter. The Tusen Knights can by no means consider her a stranger.”
“That’s true. But I don’t think it’s the Tusen Knights’ turn to step forward right now.”
“Why not?”
“First, the Tusen Knights are an outside force from Zerdinger’s perspective. Bringing in an outside force for a family matter within the Lodren Empire doesn’t look good.”
Their position was different from Rwalin, who was also part of the Lodren Empire.
If they handled it wrong, it could escalate into a diplomatic issue.
“Besides, the Tusen Knights have work to do, don’t they?”
The aftermath of the collapsed royal palace.
And…
“You mean Lord Leo’s coronation.”
From an administrative procedural standpoint, it would have ended with the Tusen Knights, who managed the Resentung region, endorsing Leo as king.
However, to officially announce the kingdom’s revival, preparations commensurate with that were needed.
“Please, I ask you.”
“Leave it to me. I will prepare a new throne and await you.”
Sis bowed his head.
“Let’s prepare to return.”
“Hurry!”
Celia and Avard rushed to prepare for their return, gathering the retainers of Zerdinger and Rwalin.
“I need to ask a favor.”
Leo said, sitting back down.
Celia paused, looking at Leo.
‘Right, Leo must be the most shocked.’
Thinking he needed time to compose himself, Celia bit her lip tightly.
“Get some rest, Leo. Chelsea. You stay by Leo’s side.”
“Okay.”
Celia and Avard left the room.
Leo, Chelsea, and Anya remained in the room.
“Leo, actually…”
“Is this incident connected to the Elder Council?”
“Huh? How did you know?”
Chelsea looked flustered.
But Anya did not fluster and bowed her head.
“Yes. As expected, you knew.”
“Because it’s strange.”
Leo looked out the window at the night sky.
“The Hero Slayer might target me. Someone like that would covet my abilities enough.”
Leo’s eyes narrowed.
“They would use all sorts of tricks to draw me out. They would surely plan to kidnap my mother to agitate me and lure me out.”
Leo spoke, maintaining his composure.
“But the incident happened in Payon.”
Leo had prepared various measures in case anything happened to his father and mother.
Deide and Reina didn’t know it, but the Flóv family was under the protection of Melina, the Dragon Lord.
Unless it was a demon of Legion Commander rank, no one could harm the two in the Flóv family.
And the Necromancer King was not someone who would harm Deide and Reina at the cost of consuming a Legion Commander-level force.
‘He knows. That even if something happens to my father and mother, I won’t be agitated.’
It wasn’t that his father and mother weren’t precious.
In fact, now that he had heard of Reina’s kidnapping,
Leo was angrier than ever.
He would eliminate all those involved.
But he was not consumed by that anger.
He maintained his composure and calmly assessed the situation.
Blind rage harms the angry, but calm rage harms those who caused it.
‘He’s definitely not one to do something that brings more loss than gain.’
Leo clenched his fist, recalling the Necromancer King.
Leo had told Melina that she didn’t need to specially protect the two while they were in Zerdinger.
Payon was such a safe place that Leo could say that.
Yet, Zerdinger’s defenses had been breached.
‘I can only conclude there was an accomplice inside.’
“Indeed, there were suspicious movements among Zerdinger knights at the time. Of course, that alone isn’t enough to conclude there’s a traitor inside, but there’s certainly a possibility.”
And it wasn’t hard to deduce that this possible accomplice was the Elder Council.
Of course, it was merely speculation.
“To think I let my guard down, considering them allies. I’ve become soft.”
Leo let out a self-deprecating chuckle.
His red eyes gleamed.
Anya bowed her head, seeing his expression.
“What should we do?”
“Elimination comes after concrete evidence. For now, rescuing Mother is urgent.”
“Yes.”
“Summon the Shadow Lords to Payon.”
“Understood.”
Anya withdrew.
“Miss Anya… you were a shadow.”
Chelsea mumbled softly as if just realizing, then looked at Leo and hesitated.
“Why?”
“Leo, are you… okay, even though Lady Reina was kidnapped?”
Leo, reflected in Chelsea’s eyes, seemed surprisingly calm.
Of course, when he first heard the news, Leo exuded such a terrifying aura that even Chelsea was momentarily afraid.
But that was only for a fleeting moment.
Afterward, Leo maintained his composure.
Chelsea and Celia had come to respect and follow Reina after hearing stories of her past.
That’s why hearing the news about Reina felt like their insides were burning.
Avard too was very agitated, worrying about Leo.
But Leo was calm.
‘Doesn’t Leo think of Lady Reina as his mother?’
Leo was Kyle, the Hero of Beginnings.
His actual age was older than Reina’s.
But even so, he was too calm.
Chelsea was scared by his appearance.
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 grown accustomed to losing things.”
Leo looked down at his hands.
“Before I was called the Hero of Beginnings, I was called the Hero who survived.”
“The Hero who survived?”
“Yes. Because I was the only one who survived every battlefield. Everyone left before me.”
“…”
Chelsea held her breath.
This was Leo, whom she had only admired.
She couldn’t help but admire him.
Because from the moment she first met him, he was the most heroic hero she had ever seen.
Later, she heard Leo’s secret from Aréon and respected him even more.
His accomplishments shone so brightly.
But to achieve those accomplishments.
She had never deeply considered what Leo had lost to receive the praise he now did.
‘I only thought that the burden Leo carried was too heavy.’
So she wanted to be a source of strength by his side, and if possible, bear that burden with him.
‘I had never thought about the weight of that burden.’
When had Leo ever not been sincere with her… or with his peers from Lumerne?
As future comrades who would stand on the battlefield together.
As heroes who would fight against the world’s crisis.
Hoping they would become such people, Leo sincerely treated the much younger children who came to him.
‘There’s no way Leo wouldn’t cherish Lady Reina.’
Chelsea clenched her fist tightly.
‘I don’t really know Leo.’
The side of Leo she knew was only a tiny fraction.
She began to dislike herself for feeling distant after seeing an unknown side of him.
“Chelsea.”
“…Yes.”
To be swallowed by anger and ruin things might be foolish, but it would certainly be human.
“Don’t become like this.”
Chelsea bit her lip tightly at Leo’s poignant words.
***
That night.
Leo, who arrived in Payon via a warp gate, immediately headed to the crime scene.
The surrounding area was heavily guarded by Zerdinger knights.
“Young Master Leo.”
A Zerdinger knight approached Leo.
“Count Flóv is alone at the crime scene… I earnestly told him to go inside as the weather is cold, but… he shows no sign of moving.”
“…I’ll go alone.”
Leo said that to Chelsea, Celia, and Avard, and entered the crime scene.
As Leo approached the crime scene, he narrowed his eyes.
‘Mother resisted as much as she could.’
Although Reina couldn’t use Aura, she could still use swordsmanship.
Half-destroyed objects were visible around.
And Leo, seeing the scorched marks, stopped.
‘…Zerdinger’s flame?’
Kneeling, Leo swept his gaze over the burnt floor.
From the burnt marks, he felt the lingering mana of something he had never seen before.
But… it was a familiar lingering scent.
‘…Mother?’
Thinking that far, Leo stood up.
And headed towards Deide.
“Father.”
“…Leo.”
Deide looked at Leo with unfocused eyes.
“Because of your incompetent father… your mother…”
“…It’s not your fault, Father. It’s mine.”
“No… it’s my fault… it’s my fault…”
Leo said, watching Deide mutter distractedly.
“…I will definitely rescue Mother. So please take care of yourself first, Father. If even you collapse, I don’t know what will become of me.”
At those words, Deide bit his lip tightly and nodded.
“I have more investigating to do. I’ll follow once I’m finished.”
“…Understood.”
Deide nodded and moved his feet with difficulty.
“Father, does Mother have a scar… on her right breast?”
“Yes. Why do you ask?”
“…I needed to confirm.”
Leo smiled bitterly.
“…Don’t overdo it too much.”
Deide, looking worriedly at his son, left.
Whoosh.
A winter wind blew.
Leo, left alone, opened his mouth.
“You all have something to do.”
At that moment.
Countless elves, beastfolk, and dwarves appeared from the darkness.
The Shadow Lords and the shadows who followed them.
“Command us, God of Shadows.”
The Northern Magic Tower Lord.
No, the Northern Shadow Lord, Algreen Beggs, knelt, and the shadows all knelt and bowed their heads simultaneously.
Leo glanced — turned his head to look at the castle in the distance.
“Unearth the darkness of Zerdinger Castle. Find those involved in this incident.”
“Are you commanding us to find and eliminate them all?”
At Kirín, the Southern Shadow Lord’s question, Leo said indifferently.
“No.”
His red eyes gleamed.
“I will kill them.”