Book 1 Chapter 764

"You're going to have a tough time."

Leo said, looking at the ruined government building of Retin visible in the distance.

The extermination of the second saintess of Styx and the Order of Rest had been successful.

Fortunately, there were no casualties other than the injured.

This was thanks to the swift response of Shis Jigmar, who led the Tussen Knights.

However, that didn't mean there were no scars from the invasion.

The half-destroyed government building and collapsed structures.

The damage Retin had suffered could not be considered small.

"Rather, it's a miracle that it ended with this much damage when such powerful demons attacked."

Shis smiled faintly.

"All of this is thanks to the grace of the great King of Wisdom, Lysinas, and Your Majesty, who is more valiant and stronger than anyone else."

"Still, the damage is considerable, isn't it?"

Retin is a tourist city.

If safety issues arise due to this incident, it could lead to major problems.

In response to Leo's words, Shis said,

"The hot springs have also returned to their original state… and crucially, thanks to the direct visit of the King of Wisdom, we will see significant promotional effects."

Shis chuckled.

After the battle had ended.

The reason Retin, thrown into chaos by the demon attack, was able to quickly regain stability was entirely thanks to Lysinas.

She had appeared directly before the people.

'It was probably planned.'

Given Lysinas's tendency to act with meticulous calculation.

She must have figured out how to maximize her influence and appeared before the people of Retin.

Otherwise, she wouldn't have appeared with such a brilliant, dazzling light.

Leo, recalling Lysinas's goddess-like appearance, asked,

"Still, wouldn't it be better to postpone the coronation?"

The people of Resentong must have been bewildered by the sudden demon invasion, and a coronation on top of that might cause further confusion.

"The coronation must proceed. Even if it's scaled down, it cannot be postponed. Resentong needs His Majesty."

At those words, Leo scratched his head and said,

"To be honest, I'm not the right person for the throne."

He was not fit to be responsible for a nation.

Leo knew that fact well.

"Someone like Celia would be more suited for that. You, who have ruled here for so long, could also ascend to the throne."

"That might be the case."

"But why are you so eager to make me king? Even if I'm not the king here, I will help this land if it's in danger."

"Certainly, a king is one who stands above the masses, reigns, rules, and leads."

In that regard.

Leo was not.

"But I don't think those are the only virtues of a king."

"Then?"

"Someone who can be trusted and relied upon. That person also possesses the virtues of a king. No. In fact, I believe that is the greatest virtue of a king."

Shis bowed his head.

"You don't need to lead. You don't need to strive to be a great king. Surely, the people of Resentong will be able to live in peace just by Lord Leo ascending to the throne."

The knight, who had dedicated his life to protecting Resentong, said with a confident face.

Leo, sighing at Shis, agreed and headed for the warp gate.

"He resembles Depeser."

Lysinas, wearing a hood, said from a short distance away.

Depeser.

Depeser was a gold dragon who had looked after Lysinas since she was young, and one of the few dragons who believed in and supported Lysinas even after the era of disaster began.

"He does."

Lysinas let out a small laugh at Leo's words and wore a wistful expression.

He had lost his life when the giant king invaded Gardesron.

'He gave me a lot of advice to think about the future after regaining peace.'

Leo closed his eyes and recalled a fond voice.

'Don't forget about the succession issue, Lysinas.'

"Don't forget about the succession issue either, Lord Leo."

Shis, who had followed Leo, said as if nagging.

At those words, Leo let out a deep sigh.

"Today, I saw many people who would be suitable as your consort, so please consider it seriously."

At those words, Leo glanced at Lysinas, who smiled brightly.

They soon reached the entrance of the warp gate.

"But Your Majesty, I've wanted to ask since a while ago, your face…?"

"I got a little injured fighting."

"Oh dear. Shall I call a healer?"

"No."

Leo clicked his tongue and entered the warp gate.

"Ahem!"

"Heheheh!"

As soon as they entered the warp gate, muffled laughter could be heard.

Looking towards the sound, Lunia and Chloe were trembling, avoiding Leo's gaze.

Elena was twirling her hair with her characteristic smug, annoying expression.

"Ah! Senior Leo's face…!"

Rea clutched her head, unsure of what to do, while Warden looked indifferent as usual.

Luca scratched his cheek with a troubled expression.

Lastly…

"Big brother looks cool no matter what!"

Lily's innocent words, devoid of any malice, grated on his nerves.

Leo clicked his tongue and boarded the warp gate.

"Ahem!"

"Hmm hmm!"

Lunia and Chloe followed behind, suppressing their laughter.

Shis smiled faintly at the sight.

"Farewell, Your Majesty. We will be waiting for your return."

Flash-!

The warp gate activated, and Leo and his party disappeared.

***

Deang, the capital of Debyan.

The hot springs where Lumern and Seirun students were staying.

This place had long since become a place for exchange between the two schools.

Celia was sparring with Garin, a male student from Seirun.

Flash-! Clang-!

Garin blocked Celia's swift thrust.

The falling snow scattered, and their eyes met in the air.

A moment later, Celia lowered her weapon and said,

"That was a good match. Thank you for sparring with me."

"The match with you is also a great help to me," Garin said in a somewhat solemn voice.

Eiran, who had been watching, said,

"You know, I always feel like Miss Celia's swordsmanship is as fiery as her spirit."

"That's a trait of the Zerdinger family," Chen Xia said with a faint smile, sipping warm tea beside him.

Celia approached them, brushing off the melted snow from her hair. Her cheeks were flushed from the strenuous movement, even in the cold weather, and her breathing was slightly uneven.

"Hoo! Seirun's magic swordsmen have peculiar movements. Usually, magic swordsmen tend to be biased towards one side like Iliana. But Seirun's magic swordsmen seem to have a good balance between swordsmanship and magic."

Celia said with admiration.

"Until now, Seirun has placed more importance on star magic. They have greatly developed swordsmanship by incorporating magic into it."

"Yeah. That's why, you know, it's very helpful because it's different from the swordsmanship I usually encounter."

Chen Xia smiled faintly at Celia, who showed her ambition with sparkling eyes, and handed her a towel.

"Wipe yourself first. You'll catch a cold if you sweat cools down on a day like this."

"Thanks to Lysinas's ice water training recently, I don't get cold easily."

"Still."

Celia wiped her sweat at Chen Xia's words.

"Ahem! E-Eiran."

At that moment, Garin called Eiran from a distance.

"What is it? Garin?"

Eiran tilted her head and approached Garin.

Around Garin, other Seirun male students were gathered with tense expressions.

Garin whispered to Eiran.

Eiran tilted her head at the question and approached.

"Miss Celia."

"Yeah? Why?"

"Miss Celia, do you have a lover?"

"No."

"What? Someone as wonderful as Miss Celia doesn't have a lover?"

"No."

Having said that much, Celia narrowed her brow.

"Come to think of it, let alone a boyfriend, I've never even received a confession or a letter."

"Considering Miss Celia's usual image… it can't be helped."

"What's wrong with my image? You get a lot, anyway."

"What do I get a lot of? Among our classmates, Nella is the most popular. Then Miss Chloe, then Miss Elija, and then me."

"…I'm on the same level as Iliana."

Celia said with a dejected look, and Chen Xia cut in firmly,

"Miss Iliana is also popular."

"What?! Why!"

Celia exclaimed indignantly.

"Ask the male students."

"Ugh!"

Celia felt a surge of resentment at losing to Iliana.

In fact, although she didn't know it herself, she was very popular.

'I mean, she received several confessions in her first year, but she rejected them herself.'

Of course, she didn't even know that the other person had confessed.

'It was decisive when she was asked who her ideal type was and she specifically chose Leo.'

Celia had simply said Leo, who was the male student she was most familiar with in her first year and her cousin, was her ideal type, without any real thought.

However, Leo's subsequent actions became so legendary that she became a female student that male students couldn't even look at.

Eiran, listening to their conversation, tilted her head.

"Miss Celia, you are the young lady of a great family, so don't you have an arranged fiancé from your family?"

"I don't have anyone like that either."

"That's strange."

Eiran approached Garin curiously and innocently.

"Ooooh!"

Then, a gasp erupted from among the Seirun male students gathered around Garin.

Their classmates patted Garin on the shoulder.

"Why are they doing that?"

Celia asked with a puzzled expression, and Eiran shook her head.

"They are doing that because Miss Celia said she doesn't have a lover?"

"Why?"

"I wonder… Ah, perhaps Garin considers Miss Celia a good rival?"

"Huh? Is he worried that his skills will decline if he gets into a relationship?"

"It seems so. Garin is also very serious about swordsmanship."

"This feels like I've gained a good sparring partner."

"Garin, really. Miss Celia is not the type whose skills would decline from having a lover, so he's worrying unnecessarily."

Celia and Eiran were thinking whatever they pleased.

Chen Xia, watching them, thought seriously.

'Are these two idiots?'

When it came to romance, their brains didn't work at all.

Eiran, in particular, who usually reads strange novels but is completely clueless in such matters, was quite surprising.

She considered whether to give them a hint, then chuckled.

'It looks like it will be interesting, so I'll leave it be.'

Saying so, the three of them left the garden.

Then, Celia, seeing a certain scene, stopped abruptly.

There, Aris Teina, Garin's twin sister, was pushing Abad's back.

"We agreed that if you teach me magic, you'll do me a favor, right? Let's go to the city. To the city."

"Ah. Aris. Can't we go to the city with you too?"

"No. You can't."

Aris shook her head resolutely at Eiran's words.

Abad said with a troubled smile,

"Going to the city alone…"

"Why? Abad. Didn't you say you don't have a girlfriend?"

"I don't."

"Then isn't it okay?"

Aris tilted her head.

"Hmph!"

Celia snorted and went in another direction.

Eiran, seeing Celia's reaction, chased after her with a bewildered expression.

Chen Xia waved lightly at Abad and then followed Celia.

"Why, why are you doing this? Miss Celia?"

"I don't know!"

"Don't do that and just admit it. Miss Celia. You have feelings for Lord Abad."

"Who likes that kind of butter! Besides, he's the heir of Rwalyn!"

Celia exclaimed indignantly.

"Who likes whom?"

Just then, a familiar voice was heard.

"Ah! Lord Leo! You're here…"

"Listen, Leo. Miss Celia is…"

Eiran, smiling brightly, and Chen Xia, sighing, froze upon seeing Leo's face.

Celia also gaped and looked at Leo's face.

And then…

"Pfft…! Kick! Hehehe! Ahahahaha! Hahahahahaha!"

Celia, even pointing her finger, burst into laughter at Leo's face.

"You! You! Why are you all spotted? Who hit you?!"

She laughed so hard that tears flowed down her face, clutching her stomach.

Lunia and Chloe, who had been holding back their laughter behind him, thought:

'You can laugh so openly like that.'

'Looking at it like this, being cousins is good. You can do that.'

Just as everyone who saw Leo's face was thinking so.

'It's not good to laugh like that.'

Lysinas, the one who made Leo spotted, clicked her tongue inwardly.

As expected.

"Do you want to be made like this too?"

"Argh! Let go!"

Celia screamed as Leo grabbed her.

***

"What is the matter? First Saint."

A man wearing a snow-white robe asked the praying man.

The First Saint stopped praying and said,

"The second saintess, Ameriol, has been annihilated."

"Is it Tartarus's doing?"

The man who spoke, the Third Saint, revealed his anger.

"No. It was the act of humans."

"Humans? How can that lowly slave race annihilate a saintess?"

The Third Saint looked incredulous.

"Times have changed. Third Saint."

The First Saint, who had stood up, turned around.

In his palm was a small fragment.

"What is that?"

"It is called a Hero Record."

"Hero Record?"

"It's an artifact made by the hateful celestial gods."

The First Saint said, looking at the fragment of the Hero Record.

"It seems there are beings called heroes in this era."