Book 1 Chapter 630

630.

Early morning.

Tap- Tap-tap-

Woken by something tapping at his window, Kal got up from his seat.

“Huuuuuumph!”

Yawning with a disheveled face, Kal scratched his stomach and got out from under his blanket.

As Kal opened his room window, a cold winter wind blew in.

“Ugh~ It’s cold again today. So cold.”

Moira Kingdom, Kal’s hometown, is located in the central part of the continent, bordering the north.

Feeling sleep completely chased away by the cold wind blowing from the northern continent, Kal, wrapped in his clothes, shivered.

Kkireuk- Kkireureuk-

In front of the window, a hawk with two leather pouches tied to its feet was looking at Kal.

Wind Hawk.

It was a low-grade phantom beast of wind attribute.

Its main job was delivering goods and letters.

Kal took out a newspaper from the Wind Hawk’s leather pouch and put a gold coin into its coin pouch.

Cling~ The sound echoed cheerfully.

“I’ve really made it, haven’t I? Subscribing to such an expensive newspaper.”

Even if a Wind Hawk is low-grade, it is still a phantom beast.

That means the service fee is expensive.

If you didn’t pay the newspaper fee or tried to snatch its money pouch because it was expensive, you could end up in a nasty situation.

“Should I try offering this kind of service in Lumern too?”

Sniffling, he conceptualized a new business idea before closing the window.

Kal, with the newspaper tucked under his arm, left his room and went downstairs.

“Mom~ Give me food~”

Yawning, Kal came down to the kitchen on the first floor and collapsed as soon as he saw the scene spread out on the dining table.

“Prince Duran, Princess Helan, this is the finest tea we have in our house.”

“It has a nice aroma.”

“It’s an honor that it suits your taste. Ohhohoho.”

Kiria Thomas, Kal’s older sister, was pouring tea for a blonde young girl sitting at one side of the table.

For reference, that tea was the finest elven tea that Kal had acquired.

“I’m not sure if the food will suit your taste, Prince Duran.”

“It’s very delicious.”

“It’s rewarding to have put in the effort.”

Karen, Kal’s mother, was serving breakfast to a handsome blonde boy who was starting to look like an adult.

He had an expressionless face that almost seemed cold, but his tone was gentle.

The handsome boy, Duran, wiped his mouth and gave Kal, who had collapsed on the floor, a disdainful look.

“You’re late.”

“Why are you calmly eating breakfast in our house?”

Kal, who barely managed to get up, scratched his head and asked.

Duran, who moistened his mouth with tea, looked at Kal and said.

“Didn’t I tell you clearly before the vacation? That you’d be doing combat training with me.”

“Were you actually serious about that?”

“Hmph. Do you plan to advance to 4th and 5th grade through special promotion again?”

Although he had advanced to 3rd grade this time by becoming a hero, that was purely a special exception by the board of directors.

He passed the written exam, but Kal failed the practical exam.

The reason Kal failed was ultimately just one.

His individual combat ability was insufficient.

Of course, Kal’s combat ability wasn’t completely terrible.

“I don’t think I’m at a level where I’d get beaten up anywhere.”

“Is there anyone among your classmates you can handle?”

“Then I have nothing to say.”

“I don’t expect you to defeat enemies. But at least you should be able to withstand any situation without being immediately defeated.”

‘That’s a fair point.’

Kal, who couldn’t answer, was asked.

“Prince, to think you care so much about our son.”

Karen wore a touched expression.

Helan smiled brightly looking at Karen.

“Sir Kal is a very important talent for the Moira Kingdom. Not only has he become a hero, but he is also one of my brother’s few precious friends.”

“Pfft. As expected, you didn’t have many friends… Aaaagh! Surrender! Surrender!”

Kal screamed as his wrist was twisted for being mischievous.

Watching him, Helan clasped her hands together.

“Ah. To see my brother getting along so casually like that. I’m truly happy that my brother can maintain such an equal relationship with his peers.”

At Helan’s words, Duran clicked his tongue and released Kal’s wrist.

Watching him, Kal massaged his wrist and mumbled.

‘Indeed, at the beginning of enrollment, he was completely a lone wolf who looked down on others as if it were daily bread. At first, I thought it was simply a sense of royal authority.’

While he was filled with competitiveness and fighting spirit, he also knew how to acknowledge others.

His behavior at the beginning of freshman year was probably because there were truly no equals around him.

‘He’s changed a lot.’

In freshman year, it would have been unimaginable for him, a commoner, to visit his house and eat.

‘Well, no matter what anyone says, he’s the guy Leo acknowledged.’

“You being the prince’s friend. You’ve made it.”

“I know.”

As Kiria chuckled, Kal sighed.

Kal sat next to Duran.

Then he spread out the newspaper, drank some water, and checked the contents.

“Pfft?!”

Seeing the headline article on the first page, he involuntarily spat out water.

Duran, completely covered in it, immediately grabbed Kal by the collar.

“Cough! Cough-! Hey, hey! Calm down and look at this!”

Kal calmed his choking and showed Duran the newspaper.

Duran’s eyes widened uncommonly after checking the newspaper’s content.

“Leo Flobe…!”

And his expression slightly distorted.

Subjugators: Leo Flobe, Liss Jerdinger, Ulta Regdition, Lee Jamua, Abard Rwalin, Celia Jerdinger, Chelsea Rwalin.

Kal gasped as he watched Duran stare intensely at the newspaper with burning eyes.

“Leo is having a spectacular winter vacation, isn’t he? And by the way, heir to the throne?”

“Kal, it’s breakfast.”

“Oh!”

Kal, who had been shaking his head, brightened his expression as he saw the bread, bacon, and salad served for breakfast.

Just as he gripped his fork to start eating.

Snatched-!

“Huh?”

“No time to play, Kal Thomas. It’s training.”

“But I need to eat breakfast.”

“Breakfast is after training.”

“No! You can do it alone!”

Kal screamed, but Duran, consumed by burning competitiveness, didn’t listen.

“To see my brother moving forward with his best friend toward the future. I’m so happy.”

Seeing the moved Helan, Kal cried out inwardly.

‘Is this a best friend! Is this a best friend!?’

***

Flap-!

Elena, who had leisurely checked the newspaper with her legs crossed, smiled subtly.

“He’s doing well, Leo.”

At her words, Alby said.

“It will cause a stir.”

Most people focused on the reappearance of the Hero Slayer, who was thought to have vanished in the past, and on Leo and his party who subjugated him.

But what Elena focused on was Leo inheriting the throne of Tungkun.

Others might simply dismiss it as inheriting an ancestor’s legacy.

‘But if it’s the Leo I know… no. If it’s the Hero of Beginnings.’

Elena, who had vaguely realized Leo’s true identity during the last Hero’s Festival, could anticipate Leo’s future actions.

‘He’ll build a force to fight against Tartarus.’

The strength of only a few heroes alone cannot stand against Tartarus.

And to fight against Tartarus, immense power is needed.

A unified power.

‘So what Leo was trying to create was a guild.’

A guild founded by like-minded heroes.

That in itself is a powerful force.

But when Leo set the goal of forming a hero guild, many people were wary and kept him in check more than he expected.

The reason is simple.

If an unprecedented being like Leo creates a hero guild and raises his reputation, the current balance of power will collapse.

Leo’s goal is, first and foremost, the complete subjugation of Erebus.

That is the world’s desire, but not many people want that desire to be fulfilled in their own generation.

‘But perhaps our generation might encounter the catastrophe of an all-out war with Erebus.’

Such was the flow of the times.

The long peace was slowly cracking.

Some people distinctly felt it, but many others did not.

‘Because the moment they acknowledge it, they will have to give up a significant portion of what they have enjoyed.’

Elena gave a cold smile.

Thus, many would check Leo’s growth in power due to conflicting interests.

But then, Leo suddenly inherited the Tungkun Kingdom.

Of course, from a continental perspective, its external power is negligible.

However…

‘The fact that a large force following Leo’s will has emerged is very significant.’

It would be possible to rapidly expand his power based on the Tungkun Kingdom.

‘He won’t be immediately inheriting the throne, but at least he’s secured a definite power.’

Elena smiled faintly.

“It’s going to be interesting from now on.”

***

“Our son has made it. Becoming a king of a nation, no less.”

Rayna smiled gently.

Looking at Rayna, Leo asked.

“How are you feeling now?”

“Hm. I’m fine now.”

“And the flames?”

“If I don’t overexert myself, it seems they won’t erode my body.”

The Hero Slayer met a complete death by Leo’s sword, and Rayna regained her flames.

And not just Rayna.

Torua also regained her magic power.

In the past, after the Hero Slayer vanished,

none of the surviving victims of Zorua were said to have regained their abilities.

‘Perhaps it’s because he was resurrected by the Necromancer King’s authority.’

Zorua was a dead being that should not have existed.

Such a being was resurrected, defying the laws of the world.

And that Zorua’s very existence was erased by Leo’s pure aura.

‘Perhaps because of that, the stolen power itself might have returned to its original place.’

The exact reason wasn’t known, but it was fortunate for Torua nonetheless.

In Rayna’s case…

“Aren’t you disappointed?”

“No. My grudge has been settled now.”

She regained her flames, but due to fighting too hard in the battle with Zorua, her body took a heavy toll.

It wouldn’t affect her daily life.

But it was difficult for her to handle her regained aura.

If she used her flames, her body would collapse.

“It was a spectacular battle, fitting for my last. How was it? This mom? Wasn’t I truly heroic?”

“…Very much so.”

“It’s an honor to be acknowledged by my son, isn’t it?”

Rayna smiled faintly.

“Leo.”

“Yes.”

“No matter what anyone says, you are my son. That fact won’t change.”

“…Yes.”

“Hehe-! My boy.”

Rayna patted Leo’s head.

Then, she suddenly made a puzzled expression.

“Come to think of it, you. You said you’re changing the name of the kingdom you’ll inherit, didn’t you?”

“Yes.”

“You don’t like the existing name?”

“It’s not that. But there’s a name I really want to use.”

“Oh? What is it?”

“Arhi.”

“Arhi?”

“It’s a dragon word meaning ‘beginning’.”

“Hmm? That’s a good meaning.”

“Isn’t it?”

Leo smiled faintly.

Arhi.

That was the name of the Erebus subjugation team led by Lysinas long ago.