Book 1 Chapter 833
833.
Upon hearing that Leo had arrived, Cis Zigma immediately rushed out to greet him.
“Your Majesty! You have returned after completing your studies! A whole semester! How much hardship you must have endured, immersed in bothersome studies!”
Leo made a sour expression at Cis’s words, spoken while kneeling.
“No. I didn’t really suffer.”
“That’s right! Studies are nothing! They pose no obstacle whatsoever to Your Majesty, who has become the King of the World! Indeed! Absolutely!”
Cis nodded vigorously.
“Seriously! I don’t understand why they haven’t graduated Your Majesty from Lumerne, what more is there for Your Majesty to learn! Someone of Your Majesty’s caliber should be granted early graduation, the first ever, and given a diploma…”
Leo sighed softly, watching Cis grumble about something he found displeasing.
‘This old man is becoming more of a busybody every day.’
A few days later, before the Arch Kingdom was founded, there was the Tungkon Kingdom, located in the Resenthung region.
Cis’s family was a loyal retainer family of that Tungkon royal family.
The Tungkon family had governed admirably for generations, and Cis took great pride in being a loyal retainer of such a royal family.
Respect and admiration for the fallen kingdom… and lingering loyalty led Cis to search for the Tungkon royal family for a long time instead of founding a new kingdom.
That’s why he was favorably disposed towards Leo from the moment he first saw him, knowing Leo carried the blood of Tungkon.
He acknowledged Leo's legitimate right of succession to the Resenthung region and did his best in the founding of the new Arch Kingdom.
Although the name of the kingdom changed, it wasn't important to Cis.
‘The legacy of Tungkon continues.’
The fact that Leo, and no one else, was a member of the Tungkon royal family remained unchanged.
On the contrary, he felt a thrill every day, as if it were a new beginning.
Believing that the new master of this land was worthy of respect, Cis helped Leo in every way possible, both materially and spiritually.
As a result, there were times when he showed a somewhat excessive side, like now.
Seeing Cis complain about Lumerne, Leo asked,
“I understand Sir Cis is also a Lumerne graduate.”
“Yes.”
“Is it okay to badmouth your alma mater like that?”
“Yes. As a graduate, I believe I have every right to do so.”
Leo decided to abandon any further conversation related to this, looking at Cis, who was making strange claims.
Then he lifted his head and looked at the newly constructed royal palace.
The palace, which had collapsed during the process of subduing the Great Fire Spirit, Ishtar, had been restored to its original state.
“Wow, is this Leo’s new home? It’s nice.”
Elena exclaimed in admiration.
Seeing her, Cis’s eyes lit up.
“Your Majesty, who is this person…?”
“Hello, Sir Crimson Wave Cis Zigma. I am Elena Zerion, Vice President of Lumerne Student Council.”
Elena elegantly greeted him, lifting the hem of her school uniform skirt slightly.
Every gesture exuded the grace of a successor to the Zerion family, one of Lumerne’s three prestigious noble houses.
“Ohh… I have heard much of your reputation, Lady Elena. How are Infinity Speller and the Mage of the Demon Eye doing?”
Elena smiled at Cis, who inquired about her father and uncle.
“They are as always.”
Altech, the Infinity Speller, was still active on the front lines of Tartarus.
Albi, on the other hand, was working quite diligently as a teacher at Lumerne.
“They are both incredible mages and great heroes.”
Cis, who had once fought alongside them on the battlefield, nodded.
Then he looked at Elena with deep eyes.
Cis had also heard much about Elena.
Including that her fame encompassed not only renown but also notoriety.
‘Beauty unrivaled, fit to be called the fairest in the land. Plus exceptional ability and a noble family… but I heard she’s quite a troublemaker.’
Cis, who was observing Elena with what seemed like interest, asked,
“But why have you come together? There’s still time until the coronation.”
At his words, Elena smiled.
“Leo and I decided to go to an uninhabited island for a week.”
“Ooohh! Your Majesty! Are you perhaps announcing the Queen along with the founding of the nation?!”
Leo sighed, watching Cis’s excited reaction.
“We’re just going to have fun.”
At that answer, Cis clicked his tongue in disappointment.
“We’ll depart right away, as there’s also the coronation schedule.”
“Understood, Your Majesty. Have a pleasant time.”
***
Chirp- chirp-
The sound of seagulls crying was heard.
The Resenthung region is cold because it is close to the northern continent.
However, the coastal areas were relatively mild.
This tendency was especially strong closer to the west.
An unnamed uninhabited island located at the southernmost tip of the Resenthung region.
Elena, dressed in a swimsuit, stood on the sandy beach with her arms crossed.
“Alright, then.”
Elena smiled and ran towards Leo.
She grabbed Leo’s arm, who was setting up two tents, and pulled him.
“Leo! Let’s play in the water!”
“Just the two of us?”
“Is there anyone else here besides you and me?”
Smiling, Elena pulled Leo towards the beach.
And with her hand, she splashed seawater at Leo.
Leo splashed water back at Elena.
After playing like that for a while, Elena came up onto the sandy beach.
“Leo. Lie down here.”
When she tapped the sand and spoke, Leo obediently lay down on the sand.
Then Elena began to dig up sand with her hands and piled it onto Leo.
“Are you going to bury me like this?”
“That sounds fun, but you wouldn’t let me do it easily, would you? I’m giving you a sand bath. A sand bath.”
Elena giggled and piled sand on Leo.
Then she shaped the sand and whistled.
“Leo. You have a good figure, don’t you? Better than mine?”
The sand sculpture Elena made was none other than the body of a woman in a bikini.
She poked the sand-made breasts and said,
“Leo. Would you like to try on women’s clothes sometime? I think you’d look pretty even dressed as a woman.”
Looking at Elena with her impish smile, Leo said,
“I’ve already disguised myself as a female student from Seirune.”
“What?”
Elena’s eyes widened.
Then she said,
“I’ll lend you my uniform. Show me too.”
“I refuse.”
Leo said calmly and got up.
“My artwork!”
Leo brushed off the sand on his body, watching Elena’s pouting.
Elena grabbed Leo’s hand and said,
“Let’s go swimming now!”
Elena’s eyes sparkled brightly, full of enthusiasm.
Leo obediently followed her.
As the sun began to set.
Elena diligently built a bonfire with flint.
“I’ll make you something delicious. Wait.”
Elena smiled sweetly, pulled out a kitchen knife, and prepared the ingredients.
Leo, who was lying in the tent watching her, said,
“You’re playing surprisingly normally.”
“Yeah. It’s no fun if you use magic, is it? In a place like this, it’s best to relax, enjoy nature, and heal.”
“And not acting like an adult.”
“Should I?”
Elena smiled sweetly and slightly tugged at the edge of her swimsuit top.
“If you want, I can be serious.”
“You never lose an argument.”
“I learned from a certain old man.”
Thwack-!
The sound of the swimsuit strap hitting flesh echoed crisply.
“Heheheheh~”
Elena hummed a tune while preparing the meal.
And when the cooking was all done, she took out a wine bottle and wine glasses from a subspace and poured.
“Everything’s ready.”
At her words, Leo came out of the tent and sat in front of the bonfire.
Elena handed Leo a plate with well-grilled meat and vegetables.
“Being like this feels like heaven.”
Elena stretched her body once and took a sip of wine.
“Thank you for granting my request.”
“It wasn’t a difficult request. And I felt it was more for my sake than yours.”
“You noticed? You’re sharp, as always.”
Elena smiled sweetly, rested her chin on her hand, and watched Leo eat the food she made.
“You’ll be even busier after the coronation. I think it’s important to have a relaxed break like this before then.”
“You’re very considerate.”
“Right? I’m going to be a good mom.”
Elena grinned, raised her plate, and said,
“How should I put it? Since you enrolled, Leo, you’ve been running almost non-stop. And you’ll have even less time to rest in the future.”
It wasn't simply about a nation being founded and becoming its king.
As the King of the World.
It was clear that the world order would now be reorganized around Leo.
“Since forces must unite. It has to be that way.”
That process would be arduous.
“Perhaps there will be many things more annoying and frustrating than fighting enemies.”
Because that's what politics is.
“So, after graduation, I thought about supporting you, Leo, just like now.”
“I detect quite a bit of emotion there?”
“You worked me to the bone, you know.”
Elena glared and downed the wine in her glass.
“Originally, I wanted to be a princess, too. Princesses marry the prince who saved them and support him, don’t they?”
Elena, looking at her empty wine glass, said,
“But then I found a drawback.”
“What is it?”
“Princesses, conversely, can’t save the prince when he’s in danger.”
“Does it work that way?”
“Yes. You can’t become equal just by being saved. So I set a goal after graduation.”
“What goal?”
“The strongest mage.”
Elena looked up at the sky.
The sun had already set, and stars were shining.
“It would be impossible for me to catch up to Lady Luna. But just as the strongest mage beside the Hero of Beginnings was the progenitor of the nebula. I want to be the strongest mage beside the King of Beginnings.”
“Won’t be easy, will it?”
“Yeah. I know. But I don’t care.”
Elena looked at Leo and smiled.
“Because I’ve made up my mind to do it.”
An arrogant and haughty appearance.
But that appearance suited her perfectly.
At this moment, she truly seemed like a queen.