Chapter 630

630.

Early morning.

Tap – Tap tap –

Woken by the sound of something tapping the window, Kal got up from bed.

“Hnnnnnn~”

Kal came out from under the covers, rubbing his belly after yawning with a scruffy face.

When Kal opened the window, a cold winter wind blew in.

“Uwaa~ It’s cold again today. So cold.”

Kal’s hometown, the Kingdom of Moira, is located in the northern part of the central continent.

As the cold wind swept in from the northern continent, Kal, who felt the sleepiness dissipate instantly, shivered as he covered his entire body.

Creeeak – creeeak –

At the window stood a Wind Eagle with two leather pouches tied to its feet, staring at Kal.

Wind Eagle.

A low-tier familiar with the wind attribute.

Its main job was delivering items or letters.

Kal took out a newspaper from the leather pouch tied to the Wind Eagle and dropped a gold coin into its pouch.

The jingling sound resonated crisply.

“I’ve made it big now, haven’t I? To the point where I’m subscribing to such an expensive newspaper.”

Even though it was low-tier, the Wind Eagle was still a familiar.

And its usage fees were accordingly expensive.

Refusing to pay for the newspaper or trying to rob it would result in unpleasant consequences.

“Should we try something like this in Lumeran?”

After blowing a sniffle, he contemplated a new business idea, then closed the window.

Holding the newspaper under his arm, Kal got up and headed downstairs.

“Mom~ Feed me~”

As Kal descended into the kitchen on the first floor while yawning, he immediately collapsed upon seeing what was on the table.

“Prince Duran, Princess Hellan, this is the highest quality tea we have in our house.”

“It has a good aroma.”

“It’s an honor that it suits your taste. Ho ho ho.”

Kiria Thomas, Kal’s older sister, was pouring tea for a young blonde girl seated at one corner of the dining table.

By the way, the tea was the highest quality product obtained by Kal from the elves.

“I wonder if the food will suit your palate, Prince Duran.”

“It’s delicious.”

“It makes my efforts worthwhile.”

Kal’s mother, Karen, was serving breakfast to a blonde teenager whose adult demeanor was now becoming more apparent.

Although his expression was icy and blank, his tone was gentle.

Duran, the teenager, wiped his mouth and gave a disdainful look at Kal who had fallen on the floor.

“You’re late.”

“Why are you so calmly having breakfast at our house?”

Kal, who had finally managed to stand up, said while scratching his head.

“You did say before the winter break, right? That we’d do combat training.”

“Cheh. Do you still think you’ll be granted an exception to advance to fourth or fifth grade?”

Although he had advanced to third grade this time due to a council’s special promotion as a hero, it was only due to that special exception.

Though he had passed the written test, Kal had failed the practical exam.

Kal failed for one ultimate reason:

His individual combat power was lacking.

Of course, Kal’s combat power wasn’t completely terrible.

“I don’t think I’m someone you can just beat up wherever you go.”

“Is there anyone in your peer group you can handle?”

“In that case, there’s nothing I can say.”

“I don’t expect you to defeat your opponent. But at the very least, you need to be able to endure any situation and not fall immediately.”

‘That’s reasonable.’

Kal, who couldn’t say anything, asked.

“Your Highness, that you’re paying so much attention to my son…”

Karen looked touched at this.

Seeing Karen, Hellan smiled brightly.

“Kal is an immensely important talent for the Kingdom of Moira, not only because he has the title of Hero but also because he is one of my brother’s rare and valued friends.”

“Cough! Of course, you don’t have many frie… Ah ah ahhk! Surrender! Surrender!”

Kal screamed as his wrist was twisted due to his careless remark.

Seeing this, Hellan clasped her hands.

“Oh, to see brother behaving so casually is quite amusing. I am so pleased to see how he maintains such an equal relationship with his peers.”

Upon hearing this, Duran clicked his tongue and released Kal’s wrist.

Kal, who saw this, muttered while rubbing his wrist.

“Clearly, when I first entered, he was like a lone tyrant who treated others with disdain, as if eating and drinking his pride every day. At first, I thought it was just the haughtiness of royalty.”

Though tightly wrapped in competitiveness and a fighting spirit, he also recognized others just as much.

Such an attitude during the beginning of his first year was likely due to the lack of truly equal peers around him.

“He’s changed a lot.”

It was unimaginable in the first year that he would come to a commoner’s house and eat a meal like this.

“Of course, no matter what people say, Leow recognized him.”

“You’ve made friends with the prince now; it’s a promotion.”

“Indeed.”

Kiira giggled, and Kal sighed.

Kal sat down next to Duran.

After opening the newspaper and sipping some water, he began reading its contents.

“Whoa?!”

He accidentally sprayed water when he saw the featured article on the front page.

This water directly fell on Duran, who reacted by grabbing Kal by the collar.

“Cough! Cough! Hey! Hey! Calm down and look at this!”

Calmly dealing with the situation, Kal showed the newspaper to Duran.

Upon seeing the contents, Duran’s eyes widened unusually.

“Leo Flove…!”

His expression slightly twisted.

<Past Nightmare! Hero Slayer extermination.>

Exterminators: Leo Flove, Ris Zerdinger, Ulta Legdission, Li Jamaa, Abad LeWalyn, Celia Zerdinger, Chelsea LeWalyn.

<The Zerdinger Family's Roiling Winds of bl**d!>

<Leo Flove, the rightful heir to the crown of Tengkin!>

Seeing Duran scowling intensely with fiery eyes at the newspaper, Kal whispered.

“Leo is even turning his winter break into a grand spectacle? And this ‘heir to the crown’ thing?”

“Kal, it’s breakfast.”

“Alright!”

Kal, who had shaken his head, grinned upon seeing the bread, bacon, and salads brought out for breakfast.

Just as he was holding the fork to start eating,

Thump!

“Huh?”

“There’s no time to relax, Kal Thomas. Time for training.”

“But I need to eat breakfast.”

“We’ll eat after training.”

“What? You can do it yourself!”

Although Kal screamed, Duran, consumed by burning competitiveness, paid him no heed.

“It’s wonderful to see Brother progressing towards the future with his close friend.”

Seeing the moved Hellan, Kal inwardly howled.

‘Is this what you call a close friend? Is this what you call a close friend?’

“Our son has made it big, becoming the king of a nation.”

Reina smiled softly.

Seeing Reina, Leo inquired.

“How is your health?”

“Uh-huh. I’m fine now.”

“And the flames?”

“If I don’t push them beyond my limits, they shouldn’t erode my body anymore.”

The Hero Slayer completely perished under Leo’s sword, and Reina recovered her flames.

Not only Reina, but Toluah also regained her abilities.

In the past, when traces of the Hero Slayer disappeared, it was said that the survivors of Zorea’s victims never regained their powers.

‘Perhaps, it was because he was resurrected by the Demon King’s power.’

Zorea was originally a being that should not have existed.

Such an existence violated the world’s rules simply by being resurrected.

Zorea vanished by Leo’s pure aura.

‘That might be why the stolen powers returned to their rightful places.’

Though the precise reason was unclear, it was fortunate for Toluah.

However, in the case of Reina…

“Are you not disappointed?”

“Uh-huh. Now my regrets are gone.”

Though she retrieved her flames, the battle against Zorea had taken a heavy toll on her body.

There shouldn’t be any hindrance to daily living.

But it was difficult for her to manage the power she reclaimed.

Her body would collapse if she used the flames.

“This was a magnificent fight, fitting as my finale. What do you think? Wasn’t your mom truly heroic?”

“…Very much so.”

“Since my son acknowledges me, it’s an honor, isn’t it?”

Reina smiled.

“Leo.”

“Yes.”

“No matter what others say, you are my son. And that fact will not change.”

“…Yes.”

“Ho ho ho! You brat.”

Reina affectionately patted Leo’s head.

At that moment, she suddenly adopted a curious expression.

“Now that I think about it, you mentioned that you’re going to change the name of the kingdom you’re about to inherit?”

“Yes.”

“Is the existing name not to your liking?”

“Not exactly, but there is a name I want to build.”

“Huh? What is it?”

“Arhi.”

“Arhi?”

“It means ‘Beginning’ in dragon tongue.”

“Hmm? It has a good meaning, doesn’t it?”

“Yeah?”

Leo smiled.

Arhi.

It was the name of the anti-Erebus squad led by Lissinas long ago.