Chapter 460
Chapter Title: An Unexpected Refusal
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460.
The Emperor of Rodren.
Charles Dio Rodren sat upon the throne, looking down at his subjects with a bored expression.
Below Emperor Charles, those kneeling with their heads bowed began to speak.
“Your Majesty. No matter how great Leo Flove's reputation may be, for a hero candidate who has yet to even attain the rank of Hero to join Imperium goes against tradition. We beseech you to reconsider!”
“Please reconsider!”
The invitation for Leo to join Imperium was, for all intents and purposes, a unilateral decision by Emperor Charles.
Of course, he had consulted with the heads of the Jerdinger and Llewellyn families, who had been the Emperor's closest confidants for generations.
For Seld, the head of the Jerdinger family, Leo's special admission was not a bad thing at all.
In fact, from his position as the family head, it was most welcome.
No matter what anyone said, Leo was Seld's nephew and a direct descendant of the Jerdinger line.
‘Besides, Leo's skills are comparable to those of full-fledged Heroes.’
He just hadn't ascended to the rank of Hero yet.
His actual power was on par with a Hero's.
If such a nephew were to join Imperium through a special exception, the Jerdinger family's prestige would rise even higher.
Cheid Llewellyn also had no reason to oppose it.
‘If Leo Flove were simply a Jerdinger, it might be different, but he is a mage.’
And not just any mage, but one officially recognized as the successor to Seirun, the Comet Magician.
In the magical circles of the world, Leo's reputation as a mage was already exceedingly high.
‘Leo Flove joining Imperium won't necessarily strengthen the Jerdinger family's influence.’
As an All-Class, he would likely have a strong neutral disposition.
‘And he's close friends with Chelsea.’
It was a well-known fact that Leo, Chelsea, and Karl had been inseparable since their first year.
Thus, Cheid had no reason to oppose Leo's admission either.
And so, after Leo's special admission was announced.
Many nobles requested an audience with Emperor Charles.
The reason was to have Leo's special admission rescinded.
It was true that the imperial Rodren family and the founding merit families, Jerdinger and Llewellyn, were the dominant powers in the empire.
However, no matter how immense their power, Rodren was too vast an empire to be controlled by the strength of just three families.
To govern such a massive power, politics were inevitable, and naturally, interests would become entangled.
Therefore, there were certainly those who were displeased with the exception granted to Leo.
The one who had gathered these factions and now stood before the emperor was the Knight of the Snowstorm, Eterca Decni.
Having earned the title of Hero, he was the captain of the Rodren Empire's Royal Knights.
Hailing from a minor knightly family, he had risen to the rank of Hero and was a man with immense pride in himself.
His goal was to seize the title of the strongest knight in the Rodren Empire.
However, overshadowed by Seld Jerdinger, he had been unable to escape the position of a perpetual second-in-command.
As a result, he led an anti-Jerdinger faction within the empire, one that rivaled the Llewellyns'.
“Sir Eterca. Are you saying that Leo Flove is not qualified?”
“That is correct, Your Majesty. He has yet to prove anything that would make him worthy of Imperium.”
“Leo Flove became the student council president of Lumerne at a young age and has been conquering the World of Heroes. Furthermore, he recently made a great contribution to the subjugation of Erebos alongside the Brave Hero. Though he may not be listed in the Hero Record, I believe that is more than enough, no?”
At Seld's words, Eterca replied with a blank expression.
“Sir Seld. Are you not merely defending him because he is your nephew? Being the student council president of Lumerne does not guarantee one will become a Hero. The World of Heroes was not conquered by Leo Flove's strength alone. The same goes for the great feat of subjugating a fragment of Erebos. In the end, wasn't it because Lord Ar-on was present that the fragment could be defeated?”
Eterca scoffed.
“Nothing has been proven. Granting a special exception under these circumstances could tarnish the name of Imperium, and I am concerned it may even blemish Your Majesty's reputation.”
Having said that, Eterca's eyes narrowed.
“I had thought the head of the Llewellyn family would restrain Sir Seld Jerdinger.”
“I, too, believe that Leo Flove is a talent befitting Imperium.”
Cheid answered leisurely.
As the three Heroes faced off, Emperor Charles spoke.
“One of the reasons for admitting Leo Flove into Imperium is that other hero guilds have also taken an interest in him. As Emperor, I have a duty to prevent the empire's talent from being lost to outsiders.”
“We are moved by Your Majesty's grace in considering the empire's future. However, Your Majesty.”
Eterca said firmly.
“If he is the kind of person who would turn his back on the empire for so little, then he is not a talent the empire needs. Granting privileges to such a person is an act that will unsettle the loyal subjects who truly follow Your Majesty. Therefore, please reconsider.”
At Eterca's words, his followers bowed their heads deeply once more.
Watching them, Emperor Charles narrowed his eyes.
‘It is an undeniable fact that Leo Flove is a talent the empire needs. No matter how powerful the empire is, there is no one else like him.’
An All-Class, just like Kyle, the Hero of the Beginning.
On top of that, his achievements in each class are extraordinary.
Emperor Charles may not have attained the rank of Hero, nor did he form a contract with Ati, the pegasus and sworn partner passed down through his family for generations.
But that was all.
He was a powerful summoner.
And that was why he knew just how absurd Leo's achievements as a summoner were.
A talent that must be acquired by any means necessary, if it is truly for the good of the empire.
But politics, by its very nature, does not work that way.
There would always be those who disliked Leo's existence and would try to deny and obstruct him by any means.
Even if it meant denying the truth.
‘Such is politics.’
However, Emperor Charles was also determined to see his will through, no matter what it took.
‘Leo Flove will grow into a hero who surpasses even the Sword Saint. Considering the times, he is essential to the empire.’
Just as Emperor Charles was about to speak.
*Knock, knock—!*
A knock came from beyond the conference room door.
With it, a messenger entered the room.
“Urgent news.”
“What is it?”
“News has arrived that Leo Flove has been listed in the Hero Record!”
At those words, a murmur spread through the conference room.
Eterca's face contorted.
“It seems a special exception won't even be necessary.”
Just as the opposition fell silent at the Emperor's words.
Another messenger appeared in a hurry.
“A report has come from Delan, where the messenger was sent with Your Majesty's letter!”
“Yes, does it say that Leo Flove will be joining Imperium?”
Emperor Charles asked with a relaxed smile, but the hesitant messenger finally spoke cautiously.
“The report states that Leo Flove has refused to join Imperium.”
“What?”
At the completely unexpected answer, Emperor Charles's expression hardened.
The conference room began to buzz with murmurs again.
“What is the reason? Did he perhaps join another guild? Or did he refuse because he is still a student and cannot join yet?”
“According to Lord Jis Jerdinger and Lady Roses Llewellyn, he said he will establish a guild of his own.”
At those words, everyone wore a look of disbelief.
“Establish a new guild?”
“How arrogant.”
Amidst the murmuring crowd, Sasha, who was attending the meeting, muttered.
“That sounds just like Senior Leo.”
“You seem rather pleased?”
Lis, who was beside Sasha, asked with a smile. Sasha covered her mouth with a folding fan and replied.
“Did I seem so?”
Narrowing her eyes, Sasha glanced at Lis.
“You look like you're enjoying this yourself, Senior Lis.”
“Watching an unpredictable cousin is quite an enjoyable affair.”
***
The news that Leo had been listed in the Hero Record spread throughout the world.
People cheered for the birth of a new hero.
Thousands of years had passed since the existence of the Hero Record was revealed.
There had certainly been heroes who were listed in the Hero Record at Leo's age.
But there had never been a hero with a career and power as brilliant and overwhelming as Leo's.
Countless media outlets flocked to interview Leo.
Though the attention on him grew increasingly intense, Leo himself was quite indifferent.
His name was in the papers day after day, but to Leo, it was merely a nuisance.
Time passed, and soon, the summer break came to an end.
“You're really something else. If it were me, I'd be out there enjoying this situation in front of everyone.”
At the Lumeria City docks, Karl clicked his tongue in amazement.
At Karl's words, the corners of Leo's mouth curled up.
“For someone who says that, you were pretty harsh when you rejected the offers from the dwarven hero guilds.”
Leo wasn't the only one who had received invitations to join hero guilds.
Many had approached not just Leo, but other promising students as well.
Karl was a prime example.
“Having obtained Dweno's Grimoire of Alchemy as a conquest reward, you must be a talent the dwarves covet more than anyone, right?”
“Hey, they don't see me as talent! You should've seen the look in their eyes!”
Karl hugged his arms and shivered.
“They looked like they were ready to dissect me on the spot!”
Leo burst out laughing at Karl's horrified reaction.
“Anyway, I wonder if they'll change the school rules.”
“They definitely won't.”
Leo narrowed his eyes.
The principals of the various academies were not the type of people to change the rules.
‘Even if they tried to, I would stop them.’
Sending the unprepared onto the battlefield was unacceptable.
Having lived through the Age of Calamity, Leo knew.
He knew how powerless even those with outstanding talent and exceptional skills were when they stood on the battlefield without proper preparation.
How heavily the deaths of boys and girls who never got to blossom weighed on one's heart.
‘During the Age of Calamity, we had no choice because we were short on hands.’
Back then, with the world on the brink of destruction, anyone who could fight had to stand on the front lines.
‘But things are different now.’
Now, there is enough time to prepare.
Just as Leo let out a small sigh.
“Gasp! It's Leo.”
“He's a celebrity now. Should we get an autograph?”
His classmates spotted Leo and reacted with surprise.
“Heh~ The great hero is certainly looked up to by many friends.”
Karl said slyly.
As Leo chuckled at his words, a female student from the Summoning Department approached, her face flushed.
“Uh, um. President. C-can I have your autograph?”
“Me too! Me too!”
“I want to hear about the battle with Erebos, too!”
That was the signal for a crowd of students to swarm around Leo.
“Gah?!”
Pushed away by the wave of people, Karl was separated from Leo.
“Hah~ It really feels like he's from a completely different world now.”
Karl scratched his cheek.
Heroes were always objects of admiration.
The fact that merchandise related to them poured out said it all.
‘Maybe I should make some Leo-related merchandise and make a killing?’
Karl seriously considered it.
The current dock was exclusively for second-year students.
‘Once we get to the academy, students from all years will probably flock to him.’
As Karl watched Leo and took a step back.
*Thump—!*
“Oh, sorry. I didn't see…”
“Found you. Karl Thomas.”
In the middle of his apology, Karl flinched at the sinister voice behind him and spun around.
There, he saw someone standing with a murderous expression and was taken aback.
“Emio? What are you doing here?”
At those words, Emio's face twisted in a scowl.
“You arrogant bastard. Are you saying I shouldn't be here?!”
“No, it's not that you can't be.”
Karl hesitated with a troubled look on his face, then said.
“Weren't you expelled last semester?”