Book 1 Chapter 756
756.
A flash of light burst from the warp gate.
Those who appeared above the gate descended.
The mage managing the gate stepped forward and asked.
“What brings you here?”
Basically, all warp gates managed by the Mage Tower are connected.
However, they are frequently used only when traveling within the same country or to nearby neighboring countries.
This is because the longer the distance, the more expensive it is.
If there was long-distance travel, there would usually be prior notice.
That's why the gate manager couldn't help but be puzzled.
This was because an urgent, sudden transfer had been made from the Devian Kingdom in the east to Letin, located at the northwestern tip of the continent.
In such cases, the use of the gate itself could be denied.
Of course, in the case of these users, there had been instructions from higher-ups, so permission for use had already been granted.
In response to the mage's question, Leo, who was at the front, spoke.
“I am…”
“Huh? G-gasp!”
The mage managing the warp gate was startled.
He was affiliated with the Mage Tower, but before that, he was also an administrator of the Resentung region.
As such, he immediately recognized Leo's face.
“Your Majesty the King!”
The mage knelt and bowed his head.
At his cry, the gazes of the people working around the warp gate all turned, and upon seeing Leo, they were all surprised, knelt, and bowed their heads.
Seeing this, Leo let out a small sigh.
“It’s nice to have a king of a nation. Usually, if you enter a country via a warp gate without prior notice, the procedures are complicated. I won't have to go through the bothersome immigration check.”
Elena giggled.
“Everyone, please rise.”
At his words, people discreetly began to slowly rise.
“Don't mind me; everyone, please go about your duties. You must have a lot of work right now.”
Letin is a tourist city famous for its hot springs.
Since there was a problem with those hot springs, it was no exaggeration to say that the entire city of Letin had suffered a significant blow.
If things go wrong, the entire city's economy could falter.
Leo headed towards the warp gate entrance.
The group that came with him followed behind Leo.
Then Leo stopped and said.
“Why are you following me?”
“What do you mean?”
Leo pointed to the immigration checkpoint with his hand.
“Immigration check.”
At his words, Elena frowned.
“Why would we need an immigration check when we're with Sir Leo?”
“I'm the one who doesn't need it. Others must go through the procedure.”
“Hmm! That's certainly true.”
Lil nodded.
“Laws are there to be followed, after all.”
Following her, Lunia, the representative of Seirun, also meekly nodded and headed to the immigration checkpoint.
Elena, left alone in front of Leo, still wore a disgruntled expression.
“Between us, you can't even grant this small convenience?”
“They say the highest-ranking person should set an example. You're not the king of this country, are you?”
“…You've been explicitly using informal speech when we're alone lately, haven't you?”
“If you don't like it, should I treat you as an elder?”
“……”
After glaring once at Leo, who wouldn't back down, Elena snorted and headed to the immigration checkpoint.
“Why don't you indulge her a little?”
At that moment, Lisinas, hidden in Leo's shadow, spoke.
“She's the type who'll climb all over you if you indulge her, so no.”
At his words, Lisinas burst into laughter.
The immigration check finished quickly.
Since they were students from Lumerne and Seirun whose identities were guaranteed from the start, the inspection itself didn't take long.
This was because a student ID from the Hero Academy was the best form of identification anywhere.
Upon leaving the warp gate building, Siss Sigma was waiting, accompanied by knights.
“Students of Lumerne and Seirun, I sincerely welcome you to Letin.”
The students of Lumerne and Seirun were surprised to see Siss Sigma, a hero of immense renown, come to greet them in person.
They hadn't expected Siss, a hero of immense renown, to come and greet them himself.
It was a luxury difficult to enjoy even if a king of a nation visited.
“Your Majesty, shall we escort you to the administrative building?”
In response to Siss's question, Leo said.
“We'll begin the investigation immediately.”
Having said that, Leo continued.
“From now on, we will investigate the underground of Letin. If you find the source of the intense cold, contact me.”
The students who came to Letin with Leo were four from Lumerne and three from Seirun.
From Lumerne, Elena, Lil, Chloe, and Wareden were present, while from Seirun, Lunia, Rhea, and Luca joined them.
All of them were students with deep knowledge of magic or skilled in spirit arts, capable of easily carrying out underground exploration.
“Gather at Letin's administrative building around sunset.”
***
Leo, who had entered a deserted alley, knelt and extended his hand towards his shadow.
Thump-
Lisinas, who was in the shadow, took Leo's hand and emerged.
It was the Black Dragon's Draconic Word Magic.
Then, between the two of them, *Pop!* a small flame erupted, and Istar, now palm-sized, appeared.
-Unacceptable! This land has received my blessing for a long time! The hot springs of this land are like sacred water to me!
“Hot springs are sacred water?”
As Leo wore a bewildered expression, Istar nodded as if it were obvious.
-That's right! When I provided the hot springs, the humans living here expressed their gratitude to me for that grace! Is it not natural for the hot springs, which represent my great deeds, to be sacred water?
-Hmph. Trying to curry favor with people using mere hot water. What a cheap thought. You vulgar perverted spirit.
-Shut up! You lump of filthy water!
-What?! Contractor! This rude spirit uttered abusive language at me! Punish him!
As if to prove they were arch-enemies, the Great Spirits of Fire and Water unleashed ferocious auras.
Both were palm-sized, but their intensity was extraordinary.
As beings as significant as Great Spirits shouted and fought, Leo felt a headache coming on.
-Both of you, be quiet.
Laruel appeared between the two of them.
-Old hag, butt out!
-Old man, butt out!
-You brats!
-Laruel. Control yourself.
Laruel, with a furious look in her eyes, lunged to punish the two Great Spirits.
Elsie, flustered, stopped Laruel.
This was because she thought if Laruel also started acting wild, Leo's headache would worsen.
“……”
Lisinas, watching the scene, blinked a few times, then spread his palm.
Lisinas's mana intertwined, forming the shape of a fly swatter.
Whoosh- Smack! Smack!
As the fly swatter swung towards them, Istar and Undine were startled and tried to dodge.
But Lisinas, as if accustomed to it, easily 'shot down' the two fleeing Great Spirits.
Piora, who had appeared round, approached the two Great Spirits who had crashed to the floor and pecked them with her beak.
Seeing that, Kiran said.
-Pig. Those aren't for eating.
“Pii-gya-aaaaaak!”
Infuriated by being called a pig, Piora flapped her wings, trying to chase Kiran, but Kiran had already quickly flown up.
-Uh-ha-ha-ha! You're fat again and can't even fly, can you? You chicken-pigeon phoenix…
Whack-!
-Cough!
Lisinas stepped on Kiran, subduing him.
-Gasp! Not only does he beat down Great Spirits with something like a fly swatter, but he also steps on a fairy! Do it to me too! Hit me too!
Ati, who had appeared, grabbed Lisinas's trouser leg.
Seeing Ati, Lisinas smiled faintly.
“Your name was Ati, right?”
-Yes!
“Shall I make you hate being hit?”
Creak-
At the chilling question, Ati froze.
Then he hid behind Leo and began to tremble.
As his contractors quieted down, Leo felt his headache subside.
When three Sacred Beasts and four Great Spirits started causing a ruckus, Leo couldn't help but suffer from a headache.
“Are you okay?”
As Lisinas asked with a faint smile, Leo pressed his temples and said.
“Truly fitting for the strongest summoner.”
“You're surprisingly soft on your summoned beings, aren't you?”
“For me, Elsie was my only Great Spirit-level contractor, and Albus was my only top-tier Sacred Beast.”
“True… They were summoned beings with very gentle personalities.”
-Lisinas handles his summoned beings well.
As Elsie admired, Leo said.
“Because the spirits this guy contracted with in the past all had terrible temperaments.”
They were embodiments of pride who stiffly refused to form a contract with the same summoner, even amidst the world's destruction.
And in the case of Sacred Beasts, it was Kataliu, the Phoenix King, famous for his terrible temper.
The summoned beings Leo had contracted with now had pride and personalities that would seem cute compared to Lisinas's contractors.
“Seeing such beings occupy the positions of Great Spirit and Sacred Beast King, it certainly seems like the world was heading towards ruin. Don't you think?”
Lisinas did not dare to refute Leo's words.
After all, it was Lisinas who had subdued those spirits and sacred beasts with formidable personalities by force.
Lisinas picked up the limp Istar and Undine from the floor, one in each hand.
“There's something I need you two to do.”
-What is it?
As Undine asked, shrinking his neck, Lisinas said.
“If the hot springs on this land are cooling down, there are two possibilities. Either the ground through which the hot spring water flows has become cold, or there's a problem with the source of the hot springs.”
-That's right.
Istar folded his arms.
“The students are searching for problems in the ground. So, we're planning to stimulate the place where the hot spring water flows out.”
-How do we do that?
“We're going to use the hot spring water as a medium to reverse Istar's heat flow back into the ground.”
At those words, Undine flinched.
-Wait! That means I have to embrace that damn fireball!
“That's right.”
-No! Absolutely not! I'd rather do it with that chick Phoenix!
“A spirit and a sacred beast aren't efficient. Spirit and spirit are the most efficient.”
-Even so!
-I don't like it either.
Istar also scrunched up his face, expressing his refusal.
Seeing the two spirits, who were surprisingly in agreement, Lisinas smiled.
“You don't like it? Then shall I make you like it?”
“……”
“……”
At that threat, the two Great Spirits trembled.
Seeing that, Elsie carefully asked.
-Even so, is it okay to treat them like that? If it's too coercive, it might have the opposite effect.
“Normally, no. A Great Spirit isn't just a being with strong power; they are the king of the element they rule.”
Even if one possesses power stronger than a Great Spirit, a subservient relationship cannot be formed.
The same goes for the three Great Sacred Beasts.
This was why it took Leo time to calm his contractors.
“But with Lisinas, it's a different story.”
-Why?
“Because he is the King of the World.”
The only being whom the gods had crowned ‘King’ in their heroic title.
He once bore the weight of the world.
It wasn't for domination, but since it meant taking responsibility for the world, Lisinas was recognized as the King of the World.
“That also means he is the master of the world.”
If he wished to reign, he could wield absolute authority.
It wasn't a visible power.
Literally, an invisible power.
“His commands are close to absolute.”
-My goodness. That's like the power of the gods, isn't it?
“Exactly. It's close to divine authority.”
Leo nodded.
“If Arion reached the realm of gods—miracles—with supersenses and martial arts, Luna with magic, and Dweno with the ability to create weapons…”
Leo looked at Lisinas and said.
“That guy entered the realm of gods with his quality of leading people.”