Book 1 Chapter 755

755.

The back mountain of Dean, the capital of Devian, which was hit by a cold wave.

Here, a huge hot spring, usually open to commoners, was located.

Normally, it would have been crowded with many people for short family trips or vacations.

However, a civil war broke out and a sudden cold wave hit, turning all the hot springs into ice water, which caused people to stop visiting.

There, students from Lumern and Seirun, who had been dispatched to Devian, took their places.

Leo was looking out the window from his room.

Outside, students gathered in the outer garden were each engrossed in their training.

In addition to training, Lumern and Seirun students were actively talking.

Was it because human culture was in vogue in elf society?

Seirun was particularly earnest in its interactions with Lumern students.

The number of Seirun students was significantly higher than Lumern's, and most were first and second-year students.

This was in contrast to Lumern, which had selected only elite students, excluding first-years.

'Indeed. We came to find the fragments of Erebus.'

Unlike Lumern, which was prepared for contingencies, Seirun seemed to view this intervention in the civil war as a kind of field study.

'In a way, this might be what Luna wanted.'

Interacting with various races and understanding the world.

For a wizard, it is a more important virtue than for anyone else.

Considering the elves' reclusive nature, the popularity of human culture was by no means a bad thing.

'Well, the fact that there's no moderation is definitely a problem, though.'

Thinking that, Leo looked towards where several Seirun female students were gathered.

There, Abad, with his characteristic embarrassed smile, was talking to the elf students.

He was still Abad, who was mentioned as a candidate for Lumern's most handsome man.

Even in the past, in exchange events like the Luseon, Seirun students often blushed.

At that time, because of their unique elf pride, no student actively spoke to him, but now they were openly showing their affection.

It wasn't just Seirun.

Even when there were exchange events with other schools, Abad was always popular.

"It must be nice to be popular."

Leo let out a chuckle.

Knock-knock-

"Come in."

As soon as Leo finished speaking, the door slightly opened.

Behind it, Eiran peeked her face out.

"E-excuse me."

As she carefully entered the room, Chen Xia and Chloe followed her in.

These were the members Eiran often hung out with when she came to Lumern as an exchange student and lived in the same dormitory.

"What's up? All of you."

"Eiran lost something, and she said she might need your help."

At Chloe's explanation, Leo showed a puzzled expression.

"What did you lose?"

"I haven't heard that yet. Eiran, what did you lose?"

At Chloe's question, Eiran fidgeted with her fingers and said.

"Well… it's a very important book… so…"

"An important book? Is it a grimoire?"

At the mention of a book, Chloe's blue eyes shone with her characteristic intellectual curiosity.

In contrast, Chen Xia's dark eyes were clouded with suspicion.

"Miss Eiran. You're not asking us to find a novel you enjoyed reading, are you?"

"Oh, no! It is a novel, but…! Oh, anyway, there's no way I'd ask Lord Leo to find something like that!"

Eiran flinched and retorted.

"A novel? What kind of novel?"

As Chloe looked confused, Chen Xia said.

"An erotic novel."

"What?"

Chloe made a dumbfounded expression, and Eiran, with a tearful face, tried to cover Chen Xia's mouth.

But that might be possible if it were Lunia, whose physical abilities are inferior to Eiran's.

Covering Chen Xia's mouth was very difficult.

Eiran, instead, had her wrist grabbed by Chen Xia and was subdued.

"His rough palm stroked my soft belly…"

"Aargh! Aargh! Aargh!"

Eiran shrieked, almost devilishly, drowning out Chen Xia's voice.

'Berquia and Bihar often teased each other like that. Even then, Berquia was usually the one getting teased.'

"Chen Xia. Stop teasing her."

"Yes~"

At Leo's words, Chen Xia obediently replied and let go of Eiran's hand.

Eiran, whose ears had turned red, twitched her shoulders.

"So? What exactly are you asking me to find?"

"Well… I tried a bit of creative writing… and the novel I was writing disappeared."

"Disappeared? How?"

"Well… should I say it was confiscated…?"

Seeing Eiran rolling her eyes and speaking, Leo knew who had confiscated it.

"Was it him?"

"…Yes."

The 'him' Leo was referring to was Lysinas.

"Why did he confiscate it?"

"…"

"I need to know so I can find it for you."

At Leo's words, Eiran rolled her eyes around and then tightly shut them.

"Well… a story about Lord Kyle and Lady Luna as a novel…"

"What? Eiran! You didn't take Lord Kyle and Lady Luna and write a strange novel, did you?!"

"If you're too faithful to your own desires, you'll receive divine retribution."

Chloe was horrified, and as Chen Xia spoke seriously, Eiran's face crumpled into a tearful expression.

"It's not like that! It's not a strange novel, it's just a romance novel!"

Seeing that, Leo clicked his tongue.

'No matter how strange Eiran's reading tastes are, she wouldn't write such a novel.'

If that's the case, it must just be an ordinary romance novel.

'Was he paying attention to something like that?'

Buzz-! Buzz-!

Then, in a corner of the room, a magical communication crystal ball began to vibrate.

Leo approached and touched the crystal ball, and the face of a middle-aged man appeared.

[It has been a long time. Have you been well, Your Majesty?]

"It has been a long time."

[I am now your Majesty's servant. Please drop the honorifics.]

He was Siss Zigma, the commander of the Tusen Knights who effectively managed the Resentung region, and was once part of the Tungkon Kingdom's knight order, which had now vanished into history.

During the previous winter vacation, as Leo inherited the Resentung region, Siss Zigma naturally came to follow Leo, who was of Tungkon royal blood.

At Siss Zigma's words to drop the honorifics, Leo nodded and asked.

"Are the coronation preparations going well?"

[Yes. They are steadily progressing. Once Lumern's summer vacation ends and you come here, Your Majesty will become the rightful ruler of Resentung.]

"That's fast."

[Fast, you say?]

Siss's face grew serious.

[Originally, you should have ascended the throne and proclaimed the new Arhi Kingdom during the last winter vacation! It's quite late!]

Seeing Siss's genuinely indignant expression, Leo clicked his tongue.

Listening to their conversation, Chen Xia said.

"Wow, then after summer vacation ends, do we have to call Young Master Leo 'Your Majesty'?"

"Hmm… A king. It feels like it would be very awkward."

"That's amazing! Lord Leo! Ugh… If you become king, it won't be difficult to talk to you, or anything like that, right?"

Chloe tilted her head, and Eiran wore an anxious expression.

Seeing them, Leo put on an indifferent expression.

"The next Emperor of Shan and the next Northern Archmage. And the next Chairperson of the Els-Bekia Council. I don't think that's something you three should be saying."

The Resentung region is indeed good land.

But even so, compared to Shan, the ruler of the East, and the Archmage Towers, of which there are only five on the continent,

And compared to the three who will become the highest authorities of Els-Bekia, a vast region of the elf forces, the newly founded Arhi Kingdom belonged to the smaller category.

Across the crystal ball, Siss, seeing the three female students, smiled brightly.

[Oh. These are Your Majesty's friends.]

"Hello, Crimson Wave, Sir Siss. It's an honor to meet you."

Chloe greeted on behalf of the others.

He was the commander of the Tusen Knights, highly renowned in the western continent, and a knight hero whose name was recorded in the Hero Records.

"I've heard a lot of stories about Sir Siss too. It's an honor to meet you."

Eiran also bowed her head.

Although he had the appearance of a middle-aged man due to the power of Aura, Siss was old enough to be called an elder without being out of place.

The reason the Tungkon Kingdom fell was due to the war with Tartaros.

Even amidst the collapse of the nation, because Siss had protected the Resentung region, the achievements he had accumulated were extremely numerous.

The achievements he accumulated deserved to be respected regardless of race.

[On the contrary, I am honored. To be able to speak with such beautiful and promising hero candidates. How wonderful.]

Siss smiled pleasantly.

[This meeting brings me great relief.]

"Relief?"

Chen Xia showed a puzzled expression.

That a hero they met for the first time felt relieved upon seeing them was hard to understand.

"Why?"

At Chen Xia's question, Siss smiled faintly.

[Your Majesty is soon to ascend the throne of the Arhi Kingdom.]

"That's right."

[To solidify a new kingdom, the issue of succession is naturally important.]

Leo clicked his tongue.

The three girls' faces subtly changed.

[Although lacking, I selected and recommended those suitable to be the mistress of Arhi, but Your Majesty showed no interest whatsoever. I even consulted with Princess Reina, Your Majesty's mother, but she just laughed and said you would handle it well yourself. It is an old man's unnecessary overthinking, but I couldn't help but worry about the succession.]

Siss smiled brightly.

[But seeing that you have so many beautiful friends, my worries were unnecessary!]

"Let's keep embarrassing topics between just us."

[Oh dear, oh dear. How rude! In front of the ladies, this old man was quite impertinent.]

"…"

"…"

Chen Xia's and Chloe's eyes trembled uncontrollably.

"Um… that…"

Then Eiran cautiously asked.

"Can a half-elf… also become a successor?"

Leo stared at Eiran with a dumbfounded look, and *whoosh*! Chen Xia and Chloe, having turned their heads, gaped their mouths.

[Oh! If the successor of Ersar were to bear Your Majesty's successor, it would be a great blessing for our kingdom!]

"Oh, no! It's just curiosity! Curiosity! I just don't know human culture well, so I got curious, that's all! It's not that I want to bear one!"

"Drag her out."

"Lord Leo! Please don't misunderstand! It's just curiosity! I wasn't thinking anything strange!"

"Don't make the situation weird and come out!"

"Didn't I tell you to stop reading strange novels?"

With her arms held by Chloe and Chen Xia, Eiran shrieked as she was dragged out.

Leo scratched his head.

[It really seems I was worrying for nothing. Indeed. You are at a very energetic age…]

"Let's stop talking about that. Just tell me why you contacted me."

At Leo's words, Siss wore a serious expression.

[Recently, unusual incidents have been occurring throughout Letin.]

"Unusual incidents?"

[Yes. The hot springs are cooling.]

Letin.

It is the most developed city in the Resentung region, the former capital of Tungkon, and also the capital of the newly founded kingdom, Arhi.

Its characteristic is that it is a tourist city famous for its hot springs.

"…"

At the mention of the hot springs cooling, Leo's face grew serious.

"Are they freezing over? Or is a sudden cold wave hitting?"

The Resentung region is a cold region as it is close to the northern part of the continent.

[There are no significant changes in the weather. However, according to a wizard's diagnosis, the geothermal heat deep underground is cooling rapidly.]

At Siss's report, Leo fell into thought.

The phrase "geothermal heat cooling rapidly" made him recall something.

"I'll go soon."

[What? Your Majesty doesn't need to come in the middle of your studies. I merely reported it because it was an unusual incident…]

"No."

Leo stood up from his seat.

"I think I need to check it myself."