Book 1 Chapter 840

840.

Inside the vast royal palace.

The place Leo reached was called the Hall of Aura.

The main palace where Leo would reside was restored exactly like the Tongkon Royal Palace, but most of the other buildings on the palace grounds were newly constructed.

The Hall of Aura was one such place.

This place was for the knights of the Archi Kingdom.

Various training equipment for knights was arranged.

"Hah! Hah!"

As he approached the Hall of Aura, he heard shouts of exertion.

In front of the Hall of Aura.

About a hundred children, who looked to be in their early teens, were letting out shouts of exertion and practicing downward strikes.

"Are they aspiring Tussen Knights?"

"That's correct. We've selected talented children."

A middle-aged knight, who was following Leo, bowed his head.

Siag Zigmar.

He was the son of Siss and a knight who served as the vice-captain of Tussen.

Although he had not yet reached the position of a hero, he was also a knight famous throughout the western continent.

The Resentong region was effectively controlled and managed by the Tussen Knights before Leo's arrival.

Therefore, it was obvious that the Tussen Knights would naturally become the representative knight order of Archi if the Archi Kingdom were founded.

Leo's gaze turned to the children.

Seeing his eyes, Siag's expression tensed.

'Is this person truly 17 years old?'

The story of reaching the position of a hero at the age of a boy was something heard only in fairy tales.

As such, it was almost impossible to reach the position of a hero at the age of a boy.

This is because boys are immature beings.

Of course, heroes are not perfect.

However, most heroes are not immature.

This is because they have overcome various trials to reach the position of a hero.

He looked at the boy who had become his lord before his eyes.

Siag was a man who was a knight through and through.

Knights are beings with clear goals.

For the justice they believe in.

Or to protect many people.

There are also those who follow only the lord to whom they have sworn loyalty.

Siag had searched for a king worthy of following for his entire life.

And Leo was the lord Siag desired.

Overwhelming ability, as well as the grand goal of saving the world from the great evil, Tartarus.

And charisma that draws people in.

He thought he was born to be an ideal king.

That is why he swore loyalty to Leo.

He vowed to be his sword and shield, and that fact remained unchanged.

However, he felt doubt about whether Leo was truly a being that needed to be served.

'His Majesty is too perfect.'

Leo, whom he had observed closely, was literally a perfect being.

A being that has no weakness.

He had seen many people, but he had never seen anyone like this.

"If they grow well, there are some who will enter Lumern. Raise them well."

"……Yes."

He gauged the talent of the aspiring trainees with just one glance.

This group of aspiring trainees was different from usual.

Due to Leo's elevated reputation, he was able to select only the best talent.

He became a hero and a king at the age of a boy.

Children could not help but feel a strong desire for Leo's existence.

'It's not just aspiring knights.'

Those with talent in magic, as well as children with rare talent in summoning, were flocking to the Archi Royal Palace.

Among them were those with the name of the so-called 'great families'.

Leo perfectly pierced through the talents of such children.

The influence of a single person was beyond imagination.

He led those gathered under that influence in the right direction.

'For someone so perfect… does he need subordinates?'

Siag, who had been thinking about his own value, had a clouded expression.

Stomp- Stomp-

Leo moved his steps.

"Everyone, attention!"

The instructor who was training the children noticed Leo and gave an order.

The children, sweating in the hot summer weather, quickly straightened up.

"About face!"

Chak-!

They moved in unison, as if well-trained.

Then, Leo came into the children's sight.

"L-Leo Flov-nim…!"

"That's the King of the Beginning…!"

"I-I want to see him up close too!"

"Hey! Don't push!"

The children, who had been showing a disciplined appearance, lost their composure in an instant.

Leo's appearance as an object of admiration and envy was enough to shake the hearts of the children.

"Y-you brats…!"

As the instructor tried to control the children with a flustered expression, Leo lightly waved his hand.

Then, he smiled and said, "Keep up the good work."

"Yes, yes!"

"Wooooooow…"

"His voice is so cool!"

"He's so handsome…!"

"To think I get to serve someone like that… it's like a dream…!"

The aspiring trainees reacted with excitement.

Watching such children, the instructor chuckled inwardly.

'They're not even trainees yet, and they think they're serving His Majesty…'

These children were only aspiring trainees.

Depending on how much they grew in the future, they would become aspiring knights of the Tussen Knights.

And only after being promoted from there would they finally become knights of the King of the Beginning.

Of course, the path would be extremely arduous.

Even if these children were shining talents.

'Well… dreaming isn't bad.'

The instructor glanced at Leo, who was heading into the Hall of Aura with Siag.

Entering the Hall of Aura, Leo headed to where another knight order was located.

Currently, only the Tussen Knights were officially registered in the Hall of Aura, but another knight order existed.

Siag looked at the nameplate at the entrance, 'Slayer'.

The Slayer Knights were Leo's personal knight order.

'Actually, it's small to be called a knight order.'

It was a knight order composed of only five people.

'Now six people?'

When Leo opened the door and entered, he saw a large training ground inside.

And in the middle, a cat beastman and a human male were sparring.

Thwack-!

Arga kicked off the training ground floor and charged at Jeswan.

Kwahng-!

Jeswan blocked Arga's kick with his crossed spears and was bounced back.

"This monstrous cat…!"

A warlike spirit flickered in Jeswan's eyes.

Thump-!

Arga, who landed on the floor, grinned.

A smile that clearly showed the fighting spirit of a beastman.

Seeing such Arga, a strong fighting spirit with a chilling aura rose in Jeswan's body.

Seeing that, Siag shouted, "Sir Jeswan! Miss Ar Tune is His Majesty's guest! Refrain from excessive emotions!"

"Tch."

Jeswan clicked his tongue and withdrew his momentum.

Although Siag had not yet received the title of hero, a knight's strength was not determined by the presence or absence of a hero's title.

As he was older and had been through countless battles, Jeswan could not act recklessly.

Especially since he was under Leo, his knightly rank was also below Siag's.

Moreover, Leo was beside Siag.

"Ah! Black Rabbit!"

At that moment, Arga spotted Leo and hopped over.

"You're noisy from the morning."

At Leo's words, Arga snorted and smiled.

"I was just warming up."

"Warming up?"

"Yeah! I was going to have another match with the Black Rabbit…!"

"I told you I'd fight you after the coronation."

"Nuuuuuurgh."

Leo pinched Arga's cheeks and shook them vigorously.

Pulled around by Leo's hands, Arga eventually rubbed her reddened cheeks and pouted.

"Why? Aren't you bored too, since the challengers have stopped coming since yesterday?"

"I'm not particularly bored."

"I am bored."

"Then play with this."

Leo rolled a marble the size of a fingernail on the floor from his pocket.

Thump-!

Arga instinctively blocked the rapidly rolling, shiny marble with her foot.

"…"

After a moment of silence, Arga glared and grabbed Leo by the collar and shook him.

"So stop treating me like a cat!"

Jeswan, watching the scene, had an expression of disbelief.

"Where did that fierce momentum go?"

The Arga that Jeswan had been fighting just moments ago was a wild beast.

It felt like a fighting spirit that could never be tamed.

Yet, in front of Leo, she was a slightly feisty cat.

Jeswan, feeling Arga's terrifying fighting spirit, looked down at his palm.

'They kept saying golden generation, golden generation… but the monster isn't just His Majesty.'

As the successor to the brave Arion, Arga was also a globally famous figure.

Even so, she had reached the position of a hero at a young age.

However, he thought she was different from Leo.

Leo's existence was a shock in itself.

But Arga was no less than Leo.

Even now, they fought somewhat equally, but Jeswan knew.

He knew that both he and Arga were not fighting at their full strength.

And they were heroes who would instantly grow stronger and head to a distant place beyond reach.

'This is quite something. My self-esteem has really dropped since coming to this country.'

"But why do you call His Majesty Black Rabbit? His Majesty isn't a rabbit, nor is he black."

A white rabbit would be understandable.

After all, her head is white and her eyes are red.

"I don't know why, but Ar-nim calls His Majesty Black Rabbit. By the way, that was a great match, Captain."

Martina said with a smile, handing him a towel and a water bottle.

Jeswan, who was staring blankly at them, said, "You don't have to worry about me. You don't need to treat me as a captain."

"Huh? But His Majesty appointed you as the captain of the Slayer Knights."

"I don't understand that either."

Jeswan scratched his head.

He was a wandering mercenary.

Even if his skill was on the level of a hero, his character was still his character.

'These guys are obviously elite knights.'

Jeswan was in charge of Leo's knights, led by Martina.

'They trained from a young age in the Zerdinger family and eventually became Lumern students, these elites. They should be led by a more proper knight.'

Jeswan thought so after interacting with the five Slayer Knights for a few days.

That is why he submitted his resignation to Leo this morning.

Then Leo appeared here.

Leo, who had been sparring with Arga, approached Jeswan.

"Let's talk inside."

Leo entered the captain's office.

Jeswan and Siag followed him.

Leo, sitting in the captain's office, said, "Don't you like Martina and the others very much?"

"Huh?"

Jeswan's expression turned flustered at Leo's question, and he shook his head.

"No."

"Then why are you resigning?"

"Well, Your Majesty. Although I have reached the position of a hero, I am a mercenary."

"And so?"

"It would be more fitting for Sir Siag here to be in charge of such elite knights than me."

"Why?"

"I don't think I would have a good influence on them."

Jeswan shrugged.

"Frankly, isn't it a waste? They are talented children, and I think I might ruin them if they are influenced by someone like me. I am not qualified to be in charge of such elite knights."

Leo looked at Jeswan with a surprised expression.

"Considering you're called a mad dog, you're unnecessarily delicate."

"Huh?"

"I don't think their future will be ruined by being influenced by me. Rather, they will have much to learn from you."

"From me?"

"Yes. For example, how to survive on the battlefield."

Leo leaned back against the chair.

"The reason I named my first knight order 'Slaughterers' is very simple. I will completely destroy Erebus and Tartarus in my generation."

"That's, well… a famous story."

"Yes. You seem to know that famous story as merely my grand ambition."

Leo's eyes narrowed.

"I will achieve it by any means necessary."

At Leo's words, Jeswan and Siag momentarily held their breath.

"I am not establishing this country for wealth, honor, or power."

Leo looked at the world map hanging on the wall of the captain's office.

There, the territories and battlegrounds of Tartarus in various parts of the world were marked.

"It's solely to wipe them out."

"……."

"……."

Jeswan and Siag fell silent at his words.

"I have no intention of forcing you to follow me. I will destroy them even if I'm alone. But if you follow someone like me… the casualties will be minimized… no."

Leo closed his eyes.

"I hope no one dies."

It's a dream-like story.

An impossible story.

The reality that Leo so cynically ridiculed.

But…

The ideal he yearned for more than anything.

"Those children will follow me. The number of Slayer Knights will also gradually increase."

Currently, there are only five.

But the numbers will gradually increase.

"If so, they need to learn how to not die on the battlefield. The battlefields we will fight on in the future will have no honor, no cowardice, nothing. Only survival will be of value. And Sir Jeswan. You are someone who knows better than anyone that survival is the highest value, right?"

"… Your Majesty seems to know better than I do."

"……."

At those words, Leo smiled faintly.

"Perhaps, but I am someone who is prepared to die at any moment."

"……."

A person like that can only teach one thing.

'The will to die.'

Jeswan understood why Leo had entrusted him with the Slayer Knights.

Then Leo's gaze turned to Siag.

"There is no such thing as a perfect being in the world. Especially not me. I need many people to help me."

'… Did he see through me?'

Siag clenched his fist.

"… I will do my best, Your Majesty."

As Jeswan replied heavily, Leo nodded and stood up.

And he left the captain's office.

"… Perhaps I have come to serve a ridiculous person."

At Jeswan's mumbling, Siag clenched and unclenched his fists and said in a trembling voice, "… I think so too."

He realized anew.

Why that boy…

No, why that man was recognized as the 'King of the World'.