Chapter 556
Chapter Title: Rise Up, Princess
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556.
At the Jerdinger estate, Leo was treated with the utmost hospitality.
It wasn't simply because he was Elena's guest.
“When Lord Flove found Lady Alia's keepsake, this old man wept more tears than you can imagine.”
The old mage, seated at the dinner banquet, dabbed his eyes with a handkerchief and bowed his head to Leo repeatedly.
From the head of the table, Elena sliced her steak with a fork and knife and spoke to the old mage.
“You're making a scene in front of our guest, Berewin.”
“I know, my lady. But whenever I think of that time, this old man… this old man…”
Berewin Berak.
He was a great mage, a hero whose name was recorded in the Hero Record, and the magic tutor to not only Altech Jerdinger, the current head of the Jerdinger family known as the Infinity Speller, but also to Albi, the Lumerne professor known as the Mage of the Evil Eye, and even to Elena herself.
Having taught the direct Jerdinger line, he had surely also taught Alia Jerdinger, whom Leo had saved in the World of Heroes during the first-year midterm exams.
‘Was his title Blood Fiend?’
Judging by the title alone, he was clearly a mage who manipulated blood.
Leo was reminded of Fritz Edgon from the first-year magic department.
A member of the Shadow and an admirer of Leo, he also wielded blood magic.
“Lady Alia was such a kind-hearted person. When she was alive, both the master and Lord Albi were so much brighter. She was also an exceptionally talented individual.”
“Yes, yes, I've heard more than enough about my aunt.”
Elena sighed, propping her chin on her hand.
“Of course, in terms of talent alone, Lady Elena is the best.”
Berewin looked at Elena.
“The only problem is that you’re a bit lazy.”
At that, Elena wore a weary expression.
“Don't you think so as well, Lord Flove?”
At Berewin’s question, Leo glanced at Elena.
“Senior Elena is certainly lazy.”
“Oh? Are you allowed to speak so freely to your senior?”
“It’s the truth.”
Leo cut into his meat with a knife.
In terms of pure talent.
Elena was one of the greatest geniuses Leo had ever seen.
That included both his past and present lives.
The history of heroes was filled with great figures who had shouldered the burden of their era.
The most recent hero of an era was none other than the Sword Saint, Kalian.
“In terms of talent alone, she has the potential to surpass the Sword Saint.”
“Oho?”
Berewin exclaimed in admiration.
He, too, was a hero who had lived in the same era as the Sword Saint.
Of course, his own name paled in comparison to the Sword Saint’s fame.
Even so, he was a comrade-in-arms who had fought in countless battles alongside Sword Saint Kalian, a companion with whom he had exchanged aid.
For someone like Berewin, Leo’s claim that she was a talent who could surpass the Sword Saint was intriguing.
“What is your reason for thinking so?”
“I had a friend who was good at reading people.”
Leo thought of Lisinas.
“I learned a little from him.”
“You seem confident in your judgment.”
“Not as much as my friend.”
Leo smiled faintly.
Elena stared intently at Leo.
And so, the dinner came to a close.
***
Deep in the night.
Leo was sound asleep in his bed.
*Pat, pat.*
The soft sound of footsteps could be heard.
*Swoosh.*
Feeling someone climb onto the bed, Leo opened his eyes.
“Awake, Leo?”
Elena smiled brightly.
Looking at her, Leo spoke.
“Senior, it’s quite late.”
“I know.”
Elena shrugged.
“I just came because I wanted to talk.”
Dressed in a negligee, Elena sat on the edge of the bed and crossed her legs.
The Queen of Lumerne.
Also called a witch, Elena was an object of fear among the students.
But right now, she looked like a girl her age.
“Leo. Do you know why I handed the student council president position over to you so readily?”
“Because it was a hassle.”
“Well, that’s part of it.”
Elena chuckled.
“But more than that, it was because I wanted to see a perfect hero.”
Elena turned her head to look at Leo.
Her pink eyes sparkled.
“I thought you could become a perfect hero.”
Within those eyes, a childlike innocence could be seen.
“Why did you want to see a perfect hero?”
“Do you remember what I said after we defeated Erebos in Lady Luna’s world?”
‘When I was little, I always liked the princess who gets rescued more than the hero in fairy tales. I found myself admiring her more.’
Recalling the past event, Leo opened his mouth.
“That you preferred being the princess over the hero?”
“Yes.”
Elena let out a soft laugh.
“I got sick of hearing it since I was a child. That I would become a hero.”
No matter what anyone said, Elena was undoubtedly one of the most talented individuals in the age of heroes.
An extraordinary background.
And a talent even more extraordinary than that.
“I heard it constantly since I was young. That I had to succeed Lumerne.”
Elena let out a short laugh.
“Did you know? That Lord Lumerne hit his limit and despaired?”
“Is that so?”
“Yes, it’s a fact written in the first director’s memoirs.”
“How strange.”
“…”
At Leo’s lukewarm response, Elena narrowed her eyes.
“That’s a pretty tepid reaction.”
“Did you respect the Knight of Twilight, Senior Elena?”
“…”
Elena fell silent at his words, then nodded.
“I do respect him, even now.”
Elena let out a short laugh.
“You know, I had a very harsh upbringing.”
From a young age, Elena had lived with the title of the greatest genius in the Jerdinger family’s history.
There were even expectations that she might surpass the Sage of Twilight and perhaps even reach the level of the Knight of Twilight.
She was literally revered as the successor to a new era.
As such, Elena’s childhood was brutal.
“Whenever it got tough, I would read Lord Lumerne’s storybook.”
The knight who never gave up.
The saga of Lumerne, who rose from the status of a slave to become a hero who saved the world, was the very definition of an endless challenge.
“His refusal to ever give up gave me strength. In my childhood, Lord Lumerne was a perfect hero to me.”
And then she saw it.
The story of how Lumerne ultimately despaired.
“Were you disappointed?”
“Well… more than disappointed, I was crushed.”
Elena’s eyes grew dim.
“My ancestor’s memoirs vividly described it. The sight of Lord Lumerne screaming in despair.”
It was a shock to the young Elena.
“The fact that even the person I aimed to be wasn't a perfect hero left me completely lost.”
A terrible life hidden behind the names of harshness and brutality.
Of course, the Jerdinger family hadn't forced such a life on Elena to torment her.
They simply believed in her potential.
Elena, too, had believed in her own potential, relying on Lumerne’s story to get through her childhood.
“When Uncle Albi returned to the family, that dreadful training finally stopped. I’m truly grateful to him for that.”
Elena smiled gently.
“But after that, I became completely twisted. I turned into a conceited kid who looked down on people, you know?”
“That’s true.”
“Aren’t you supposed to deny it at a time like this?”
Elena frowned slightly and glared at Leo for a moment.
A moment later, she sighed and said.
“I only recently found out why he despaired.”
“…”
“In the end, Lord Lumerne despaired at the fact that he couldn't defeat Erebos.”
Uncrossing her legs, Elena gazed at the ceiling and lamented.
“It feels so empty. What did I even want to become a hero for?”
*Flump.*
Lying down on the bed, Elena turned her gaze toward Leo.
“I made you the student council president because I wanted to shape you into the perfect hero I couldn't become. Well, not that you needed any help from someone like me to get there.”
Elena let out a short laugh.
“All my motivation is gone. Maybe I should just drop out of school.”
“That would be a problem. I need you to be the vice president.”
“Hmm? Does that mean you need me, Leo?”
Elena’s lips twisted into a strange smile as she sat up and moved closer to him.
“What do you think of me, Leo?”
“What about you?”
“I’m very beautiful, aren’t I? I have the Jerdinger name. My abilities are outstanding. That’s why you want me as your vice president.”
Having crawled all the way to Leo, Elena straddled him.
“The princess marries the hero who saved her and supports him from behind the scenes. It's a common story, isn't it?”
Elena’s pink eyes shone.
Strands of her hair fell and tickled Leo’s cheek.
“What do you think?”
At her words, the reclining Leo reached out a hand.
The tip of his finger touched Elena’s abdomen.
Her stomach flinched and drew in.
Leo’s finger traced a path up her stomach to her side, and with each touch, Elena’s body trembled slightly.
And then…
*Pinch!*
“Aack?!”
“Stop messing around. You’re just a kid still wet behind the ears, trying to act like a grown-up.”
Leo pinched Elena’s side without mercy, as if finding her pathetic.
“Is this insubordination? This is insubordination!”
“At school, the student council president is at the top, you know?”
Having easily subdued Elena, Leo clicked his tongue and got off the bed.
Left alone on the bed, Elena clutched her side, her body twitching.
“Is this how you tamed Lil, too? So roughly?”
“Don’t say things that could be misunderstood.”
Leo crossed his arms and said.
“If you pull a prank like this one more time, you might face some real consequences, so don’t do it.”
“Ugh, no fun. What kind of junior is so much like a jaded old man? I can’t even tease him.”
Elena scoffed.
*I am a jaded old man, you cheeky brat,* Leo thought with an inward laugh before speaking.
“The Knight of Twilight surely despaired and gave up.”
“…”
A bitter smile formed on Elena’s face.
“But he probably got back up again.”
“What?”
“Who in this world doesn't despair or give up? Anyone who claims they don’t is just plain crazy.”
Leo clicked his tongue.
The Age of Calamity.
As the Surviving Hero, he had experienced more despair and surrender than anyone.
But…
“What’s important is whether you can get back up again.”
In the end, he had always stood back up.
To Leo, not giving up wasn't just about clinging to an impossible task until the end.
Getting back up and running down a different path to bypass an insurmountable wall was also a form of not giving up.
“He gave up on defeating Erebos himself, but he didn't give up on the goal of defeating Erebos. That’s why the Knight of Twilight has been holding Erebos back in the World of Heroes for 3,000 years.”
*He probably thinks he gave up.*
Leo thought of his successor, whom he had never met or spoken to.
*Don’t be so hard on yourself, Kyle. The reason you’re called the Surviving Hero… is because even when you despaired and gave up in the moment, you ultimately got back up time and time again and ran down a different path. That’s not giving up at all.*
Lisinas’s words came to mind.
*If you admire me… you don’t have to resemble me in that way.*
Leo let out a bitter laugh and looked at the dazed Elena.
“If you truly respect the Knight of Twilight, you don’t have to give up just because Lumerne did. So.”
Leo met Elena’s eyes and said.
“Get up, again and again. You childish princess. Stand up.”
“Stand up?”
“And become a true queen. How long are you going to throw a tantrum just because you had a tough childhood?”
Elena wore a stunned expression.
Then, she suddenly burst into a dry laugh and asked.
“It’s not that you need a new slave, is it?”
“New slaves are always welcome.”
At his words, Elena let out another dry laugh.
“Really… I’ve got myself one absurd junior.”
With a deep sigh, Elena got off the bed and crossed her arms.
“But in return, I’ll run things my way.”
Leo nodded.
“As you wish.”