Book 1 Chapter 798

798.

Click-clack-

"In this day and age, a backwater without even a warp gate."

Rune looked at the scenery outside the carriage and made a curious expression.

Leo looked at Rune and said,

"I apologize for it being a backwater."

"Huh?"

Rune's eyes widened.

Leo looked at Rune and said,

"This is my hometown."

"What?"

"To be precise, my hometown after reincarnation."

"It's a rural territory, so it warms my heart."

"Didn't you have a look of strong dislike just a moment ago?"

"Not at all."

Leo chuckled, watching Rune shamelessly feign ignorance.

'Did my father and mother get married?'

Suddenly, his father and mother from this worldline came to mind.

'And was I born?'

Various questions arose.

And so, a short while later.

The carriage arrived in front of the main mansion of the Flobe family.

As the carriage stopped, a throng of people who appeared to be knights lined up.

Like other academies, Seyrune's student council president's external status was no less than that of a king of a nation.

Since Rune had officially visited, this level of welcome was natural.

The carriage door was opened from outside.

As Rune was about to get off the carriage, Leo stood up first.

"I'll get off first."

"Huh?"

Saying so, Leo got off the carriage.

When a human descended from Seyrune's student council president's carriage, everyone's attention was drawn.

"A human?"

"Who is that?"

"Is he Rune Orweny's servant?"

"If it's a servant, shouldn't it be an elf? Why a human?"

Whispering voices could be heard.

Leo glanced at them.

To Leo, they were familiar faces.

'These are the central nobles of Delrad.'

The influential nobles of Delrad.

Of course, they were only influential nobles by the standards of the small, rural kingdom of Delrad; from a global perspective, they were merely vain, provincial nobles.

The reason they were at the Flobe family's mansion was simple.

Due to the appearance of the Black Flame Pillar, people were dispatched from Lumern and Seyrune, led by the Rodren Empire.

No matter how noble, these were people that nobles from a frontier kingdom would never be able to meet in their lifetime.

As such, they had come all the way to the Flobe family with the very noble-like aim of making an impression and building connections.

On closer inspection, the knights lined up were also not members of the Flobe family, but Delrad Royal Knights.

'It has become a national-level event.'

Leo clucked his tongue lightly.

As everyone whispered and looked at Leo, someone approached.

'Oh?'

The boy was quite familiar to Leo.

From childhood until before entering Lumern.

He was someone he had attended Delran Royal Academy with.

He himself boasted of being a magic prodigy, but to Leo, Gallivan was someone whose talent was far from it.

'Well, for our kingdom, he was talented enough to be called a prodigy.'

He hadn't seen him since enrollment, but he wasn't particularly glad to see him.

They weren't exactly friends, and Gallivan had always looked down on Leo for not learning Aura.

'He tried to re-enter multiple times afterward… and failed every time, I heard?'

It seemed that future hadn't changed in this worldline either.

However, there was a reason Leo was somewhat welcoming of Gallivan's appearance.

"Who are you?"

Gallivan looked at Leo with a puzzled expression.

'This confirms it. A person named Leo Flobe was not born into this world.'

Whether another Leo Flobe, born with the soul of Kyle, the Hero of Beginnings, had been born or not.

He was curious about it.

If he had been born, he wouldn't have failed to recognize him.

'How are my father and mother living? Did they have another child?'

Leo said with a puzzled expression,

"Something like Seyrune President's guide?"

"…Are you a Lumern student?"

"I'm a wandering adventurer."

"Hmph, what is it? I thought there might be something since you got off the same carriage. Just a lowly adventurer, then."

'Wow, how can he be so consistently himself?'

Leo made a curious expression, watching Gallivan's attitude immediately change.

Even so, if he rode in the same carriage as Seyrune's student council president, he should have been a little more careful.

'Right. He's unnecessarily authoritarian.'

Perhaps because it was a rural kingdom, Delrad was a country where noble's territorialism was very strong.

It was a tiresome country that overly emphasized the nobility's tradition and pride.

'That's why Father detested it.'

Leo's father, Deid.

He was a nobleman with a very open mind.

Gentle and caring towards those around him.

'That's probably why Mother fell for him.'

In fact, it was because it was Deid that he could handle Reina.

It's safe to say that no man other than Deid could handle Reina.

Thinking of his father, Deid, Leo reached a hand inside the carriage.

Rune, who had been observing the situation from inside the carriage, gaped.

'What? That guy. Was he getting off first to escort me?'

Rune's face contorted in shock.

Leo narrowed his brows, looking at Rune.

'Why is she looking at me like she saw something so strange?'

At that moment.

Gallivan nudged Leo—! and then extended his hand into the carriage.

"Noble and beautiful star of the night sky… Seyrune's Student Council President, Rune Orweny. I am Gallivan Traden, the greatest magic prodigy of the Kingdom of Delrad. I have been tasked with guiding Rune Orweny-nim."

At his words, Rune stared down at Gallivan's hand and then dramatically crumpled her face—!

It was then that Gallivan made a flustered expression at her reaction.

Bang—!

Rune opened the carriage window, poked her head out, and shouted.

"Runia! Runia!"

"Ah! Yes! Rune-senpai!"

Runia, who was in the carriage following Leo and Rune's, hurriedly got off and ran swiftly.

"Get this guy out of here. He's bad luck."

As Rune pointed at Gallivan with her finger, Runia's face turned chillingly cold.

"Yes! Go away."

"I, I am here as a representative of the Kingdom of Delrad to escort Rune Orweny-nim, my mission is to…"

"Hah?! Rune-senpai says she doesn't like you! Aren't you going to get lost?! I'll burn all your hair off!"

"Ru, Runia-ssi. Calm down. Your true nature is showing."

"Hey, hey! You weren't like this before, were you!? Are you a thug?"

"No! What gives him the right to escort her when Rune-senpai says she doesn't like him!"

Eiran and Kal, who were in the same carriage, rushed over in fright, grabbing Runia's arms and trying to calm her down as she was about to cause a commotion.

"EEK?!"

Crushed by Runia's fierce aura, Gallivan vanished as if fleeing.

"Hmph! He's nothing special, yet he struts around like he's something?"

Rune snorted, watching him.

Leo crossed his arms, looking at Rune.

"Won't that be a diplomatic faux pas?"

"They committed the faux pas first. They ignored you, a guest who came with me. Anyway, those stuck in their sense of authority won't be able to say a peep if you press them with authority."

As Leo shook his head and was about to walk away, looking at the fiercely growling Rune.

Grab—!

Rune grabbed the scruff of Leo's neck.

She had stretched her arm so far that her pelvis was caught on the carriage window.

It was a situation where it wouldn't be strange if she just fell out of the window.

"Why?"

Leo frowned, and Rune snorted.

"Didn't you forget something?"

"No?"

At Leo's answer, Rune made a sullen face and forcibly pulled Leo.

Leo sighed, straightened his clothes, and then extended his hand into the carriage.

Rune's eyes sparkled at Leo's attitude.

"The line?"

"Get out. You damn elf."

Rune pouted.

Leo shook his head at her expression and said,

"Please, descend, young lady."

At his words, Rune gave a bright smile.

And she lifted her chin, taking Leo's hand with an elegant gesture.

Then, daintily— she stepped down from the carriage.

The nobles of Delrad, who had been stiff from Rune's almost rude behavior just moments before, involuntarily let out exclamations of admiration.

So beautiful.

As if a goddess from the age of gods had descended to earth.

Her earlier, almost wild demeanor had vanished without a trace.

As Rune stepped onto the ground, time, which seemed to have stopped, flowed again.

"Oh my… Rune-senpai… you're so beautiful."

Eiran clasped her hands together, making an emotional expression.

"I think this is the first time she's smiled like that since second year."

Runia also made a touched expression.

"Wow… when she smiles, it's really no joke, huh? Ugh, look at my heart pounding. It's bad for my heart."

Kal patted his left chest— and shook his head repeatedly.

Leo, who had brought forth Rune's full bloom smile, released Rune's hand and walked ahead.

And he approached a knight nearby.

"Where is Marquis Flobe?"

He was a knight of the Flobe family, a face Leo knew.

The knight, snapping out of it at Leo's question, hurriedly replied.

"H-he's in his office. Because the territory suffered great damage due to the earthquake and the Black Flame Pillar… he's very busy with official duties."

"Understood."

Leo nodded and entered the mansion.

"Ah! Come with me!"

Rune ran to Leo's side.

And she smiled sweetly, linking her arm through his.

"Strange rumors will start."

"Let them. No, I'd rather a proper scandal really break out~"

Wham—! Rune embraced Leo's arm and giggled.

At Rune's appearance, the nobles of Delrad hastily spoke up.

"Ru, Rune Orweny-nim. A welcome party has been prepared. Perhaps you'd like to go there…"

"A welcome party? I haven't even greeted the master of the mansion, and you're talking about a welcome party? And why am I even here right now, for a welcome party? Are you kidding me?"

"EEK?!"

When Rune spoke with a fierce expression, completely different from the gentle smile she showed Leo, the Delrad noble flinched and backed away.

Rune snorted at the noble, then looked back up at Leo with a bright smile.

Runia, Eiran, and Kal followed the two into the mansion.

"Uhm… Leo."

At that moment, Kal cautiously spoke.

"You and Seyrune's student council president… seem to get along really well?"

"Because we're best friends."

At his words, Leo pushed Rune's face away with his hand.

Rune tried to bite Leo's hand that was trying to push her away.

"We're not just best friends."

Rune, after biting Leo's hand once, grinned widely.

And she put more strength into the arm embracing Leo's and said,

"We're in love with each other!"

"Pardon?"

"Th-that's…!"

Runia and Eiran's eyes widened.

"It's unrequited love, though."

"Soon enough, you won't be able to help but like me too, you know?"

Rune snorted.

The three people stared blankly at the backs of the two as they walked away.

Runia and Eiran were frozen stiff.

Kal stroked his chin.

"Did that guy Leo perhaps save a country?"

He saved the world, not a country.

Leo, having moved a little distance from the three, whispered quietly.

"Weren't you not going to reveal your feelings until I started liking you?"

"That was during Luna's time."

Rune smiled sweetly.

"Because I'm Rune Orweny."

"It changes as you please, then."

It was then that Leo shook his head.

"Oh my? Seyrune's student council president?"

A familiar voice was heard from the other end of the corridor.

Click-clack- click-clack-

"It's been a long time."

"Indeed. It has been a long time. Is the handsome boy next to you your boyfriend? He's so affectionate?"

Leo silently watched the beautiful woman with a cheerful smile.

Rune let go of Leo's arm and shook hands with the woman.

Soon, the woman stood before Leo and extended her hand.

"Nice to meet you. My name is Reina Zerdinger. I'm participating in this investigation as a representative of the Rodren Empire."

At her words, Leo muttered bitterly.

"So you couldn't get married because of your personality."

At Leo's murmur, Reina smiled faintly and said to Rune,

"Seyrune Student Council President, can I kill this guy?"