Chapter 599

599.

“Huh?”

Reina widened her eyes as she checked the documents that Leo had received.

“This is outside the empire’s territory, right? And it’s in the Resenteng region? How does Father possess this land of gold?”

“Yes. Does my gift please you?”

“Seems like Father really did a lot during his estate master days, huh? When did you fill your pockets so well?”

At Reina’s words, Regas covered his face with his hands.

“Don’t make remarks that could be misunderstood if others hear. It was the land left behind by your mother.”

“Mother’s? Did Mother own so much land?!”

“Your mother was the princess of Sword County, Tengken, which ruled over the Resenteng region.”

“So Mother was royalty?”

Reina wore a surprised expression at a fact she had never known.

“Tengken Kingdom? I’ve never heard of that name.”

When Leo tilted his head in confusion, Regas explained.

“You wouldn’t know. It was a Hero Kingdom that perished before your mother was even born.”

Hero Kingdom.

It refers to the countries of the size of counties founded by powerful heroes.

“It was attacked by Tartarus when my grandfather was around the age of Ris and perished.”

At that statement, Leo looked bewildered.

“So, then another force has taken over the Resenteng region, right?”

“The force currently occupying the Resenteng region is the Tuzen Knights, who were the elite knight division of Tengken. They have been looking for the bloodline of Tengken, even after all this time, because they were loyal to Tengken.”

“Why did Mother keep her origins a secret from us? And why didn’t she return to Tengken as royalty? The Tuzen Knights would have enthroned her as queen, right?”

With a wry smile, Regas looked at the confused Reina.

“If she had returned to Tengken, your mother would have undoubtedly become the queen. However, Nyla carried a great sense of guilt for not being able to prevent Tengken’s downfall. She refused to return home for her entire life, saying she couldn’t reign over the land she failed to protect.”

The wife of the previous Zerdinger.

Nyla Zerdinger was known for her noble knighthood.

“Would leaving such land to me be appropriate?”

“I know your goal as a hero is the complete annihilation of Erebus.”

An ambitious dream that everyone in the world wishes for, yet no one dared to speak aloud.

“Your mother resembled your grandmother.”

Regas looked at his daughter with a nostalgic smile.

“She often repeated that those born with power must surely have been born with a reason for that power.”

“Certainly, she said that.”

Reina nodded her head.

“It was your grandmother’s belief that that power should be used to protect the weak and kind. There were those who mocked it as sacrifice. But I believe that it’s because of such noble people that the world has been able to triumph against great evil until now. And Leo.”

Regas’s red eyes turned toward Leo.

“You are someone who hesitates not at all to dedicate yourself for the world.”

Regas had been watching Leo’s actions from the entrance exam until now and had deep thoughts about him.

It wasn’t just because Leo was a grandson with remarkable talent.

It was because he had seen the true shadow of a hero in Leo.

He leads those who could be rivals, and sometimes supports them from behind.

Despite clearly being capable of going ahead, he never runs alone.

He waits for those who fall behind and grows together with them.

Watching that made it clear.

That the seemingly absurd goal of complete annihilation of Erebus was, in fact, serious.

“If you are the one, I believe you deserve to inherit the legacy of your grandmother.”

Regas idly fiddled with the pendant hanging from his neck.

Inside it was a picture of his long-deceased wife.

“There are various forms of power. Personal martial prowess is one form of power, but the forces at your command are also a tremendous, undeniable kind of strength.”

This was also the reason why Regas wanted to leave the large territory to his son Reina.

That territory would undoubtedly become the foundation for Leo to grow his forces.

There are limits to personal power.

When there’s a force to support Leo,

He believed that Leo would finally spread his wings as a hero.

‘The path Leo is about to walk will not be smooth.’

“If Tengken’s legacy is used for the complete peace of the world, your grandmother would have been happier than anyone. That’s why she passed on the land to you.”

At that, Leo nodded.

“Father.”

“Have my words moved you?”

“I’m not taking this as payment. This is the legacy Mother left, so the family must separately and properly calculate what Zerdinger owes Leo. Do you understand?”

“……”

Regas questioned Reina, who was certainly looking out for her own interests.

“Whose traits have you inherited?”

“Mother’s.”

As Ris, the one who suppressed the eastern rebels, stood there, three people approached him.

“Excellent. Suppressing the rebellion so quickly without casualties, Ris—truly fitting for my rival.”

Ulta spread his arms wide, exaggerating.

However, Torua behind Ulta clicked her tongue.

“If it had been my magic, it could have been more tidy and simpler to handle.”

“We couldn’t have made you, our guests, do such things. There could’ve been diplomatic problems as well.”

Ris’s wry smile made Jamua lick her lips.

“Moments like these make me miss the freedom of our school days.”

“Yeah, exactly. Back then, the school handled all the cleanup for the trouble we caused.”

Torua nodded in agreement as if confirming something.

“Exactly what kind of magic idiot and musclehead did such disgraceful things? As a top student, I cannot fathom these troublemakers.”

“You were the worst, weren’t you?”

Torua tapped Ulta’s head with her staff.

As the two bickered, Jamua glanced at their serious expressions and questioned,

“What’s wrong? Is something the matter?”

“Not really, but I heard a worrying piece of information.”

“What kind of information?”

“During the suppression of the enemy, many of them yelled about the ‘Devil’s Flame’ upon seeing my flames.”

“Devil’s Flame?”

Jamua furrowed her brows.

“Yes. And they seemed to fear it as if they had seen my flames before.”

The flame of the Zerdinger family possessed the power of the Phoenix and glowed a crimson red.

It was clearly different from regular magic flames, elemental flames, or familiars. Anyone could easily identify it as Zerdinger’s flame.

“Your family’s flame is the Phoenix’s flame.”

“That’s correct. And in Rodren, Zerdinger is the only family that handles the Phoenix’s power.”

“Maybe they just misunderstood?”

“But if they did, it would be strange.”

They were undoubtedly afraid of the Zerdinger family’s flames.

Though rarely seen by ordinary people in a lifetime, the rebels had seen the Zerdinger flames numerous times.

‘This is troubling.’

“Or, Ris, I just created a new interrogation spell. Want some help?”

As Torua sat next to Ris, she offered.

Looking at her, Jamua clicked her tongue.

“Didn’t you forget that an outsider can’t be involved in this case?”

“Tsk tsk. Jamua, you lack love as always.”

“Love? What are you talking about now?”

“Don’t you see? Torua helping Ris is clearly an act of love.”

“What nonsense are you spewing now?”

Seeing Torua frown, Ulta spread his arms wide.

“Don’t hide it. Torua, I saw you. At the graduation ceremony on the daybreak, I saw you leaving Ris’ dormitory window!”

“So what? You kept denying it, but in the end, you were… together?”

Smirking, Jamua smirked at Ulta’s statement.

Seeing the two, Torua smiled faintly.

“Yeah, but it’s a secret between me and Ris.”

“It’s not a secret anymore now. Now, I and Ulta know too.”

“Shouldn’t it stay a secret between the two of us from now on?”

“How?”

“By eliminating those who know the secret.”

Having heard that, Ulta and Jamua turned around and ran away without a second thought.

Pursuing them in a manner that truly felt deadly, Torua chased after them.

Watching her go, Ris sighed.

“As usual, nothing changes after graduation.”

*

“Did we miss our chance?”

Torua clicked her tongue in irritation.

“Whatever Ulta, we need to deal with Jamua. That gabby girl needs to be quiet.”

As Torua thoughtfully rubbed her chin, she decided,

“Jamua’s brain is definitely well-trained with muscles, so it’s probably fine to cast a strong mental manipulation spell on her.”

Deep in thought, she turned back toward Ris’s direction, and realized someone was blocking her path.

A man in a dark hood was holding a sword.

“Rebel?”

When Torua looked perplexed,

“Torua Yan?”

“Do you know me?”

“I’ve heard you’re a famous Hero Candidate in this age.”

The man’s lips curved into a smile beneath his hood.

“I have to take your power.”

Whoosh!

A crimson flame shot up from the man’s sword.

Torua’s eyes widened as she recognized it immediately.

So familiar.

A flame she had seen from the moment she entered Lumern until her graduation.

“Zerdinger’s flame?”