Chapter 630
Chapter Title: The Morning Paper
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630.
Early morning.
*Tap- tap-tap-*
Karl was roused from his sleep by a tapping sound against his window and sat up.
“Hwaaah!”
With a rumpled face, Karl yawned and scratched his belly as he climbed out of bed.
When Karl opened his window, a cold winter wind blasted in.
“Ugh, it’s cold today. So cold.”
Karl's homeland, the Moira Kingdom, was located in the central part of the continent, bordering the north.
Feeling the last vestiges of sleepiness blown away by the cold wind from the north, Karl hugged himself and shivered.
*Kree- kree-*
In front of the window, a hawk with two leather pouches tied to its feet was looking at Karl.
A wind hawk.
It was a low-grade magical beast of the wind attribute.
Its main job was delivering items and letters.
Karl took a newspaper from one of the wind hawk's leather pouches and put a gold coin into the other.
A cheerful *jingle* rang out.
“I've really made it. Subscribing to such an expensive newspaper.”
Even though it was low-grade, the wind hawk was still a proper magical beast.
The service fee was correspondingly high.
If you tried to stiff it on the newspaper fee or eyed the coin pouch, you could find yourself in a nasty situation.
“Maybe I should try a service like this in Lumerne?”
Sniffling, he brainstormed a new business idea before closing the window.
Tucking the newspaper under his arm, Karl left his room and went downstairs.
“Mom~ Time for breakfast~”
Yawning, Karl came down to the first-floor kitchen, but the sight that greeted him at the dining table made him nearly collapse on the spot.
“Prince Duran, Princess Hellan, this is the finest tea we have in the house.”
“The aroma is lovely.”
“I'm honored that it suits your taste. Ohohoho.”
Karl's older sister, Kiria Thomas, was pouring tea for a young, blonde girl sitting at the table.
For the record, it was the highest-quality tea enjoyed by elves, which Karl himself had acquired.
“I'm not sure if the food is to your liking, Prince Duran.”
“It is quite delicious.”
“Then my efforts were worthwhile.”
Karl's mother, Karen, was serving breakfast to a handsome blond boy who was just beginning to look like an adult.
Though his expression was so blank it seemed cold, his tone was gentle.
The handsome boy, Duran, wiped his mouth and gave Karl, who had practically fainted on the floor, a look of disdain.
“You're late.”
“Why are you casually eating breakfast at my house?”
Karl managed to pull himself up, scratching his head as he spoke.
Watching him, Duran took a sip of tea before speaking.
“I believe I told you before the break, did I not? That you would be doing combat training with me.”
“You were actually serious about that?”
“Hmph. Do you plan on getting promoted by special exception for your fourth and fifth years as well?”
He had advanced to the third year after becoming a Hero, but that was purely a special exception from the board.
He had passed the written exam, but Karl had received a failing grade on the practical exam.
The reason for Karl's failure was, in the end, a single thing.
His personal combat ability was lacking.
Of course, Karl's combat power wasn't completely abysmal.
“I don't think I'm at a level where I'd get beaten up just anywhere.”
“Is there anyone among our classmates you can handle?”
“...Well, if you put it that way, I've got nothing to say.”
“I don't expect you to defeat enemies. But you must at least reach a level where you can hold your own in any situation without being taken down immediately.”
*'He's right.'*
Karl was left speechless.
“Your Highness. To think you'd care so much for our son.”
Karen had a touched expression on her face.
Seeing Karen, Hellan smiled brightly.
“Sir Karl is a very important asset to the Moira Kingdom. Not only has he attained the rank of Hero, but he is also one of my brother's few precious friends.”
“Pfft. I knew you didn't have many friends... Aaaargh! I surrender! Surrender!”
Karl, who had his wrist twisted for his needless taunt, cried out in pain.
Watching them, Hellan clasped her hands together.
“Ah. To see my brother acting so informally. I am so happy that he can maintain such an equal relationship with his peers.”
At Hellan's words, Duran clicked his tongue and released Karl's wrist.
Watching this, Karl rubbed his wrist and muttered.
*'He was definitely a lone wolf at the beginning of the school year, always looking down on others. At first, I thought it was just the arrogance of a royal.'*
He was filled with competitiveness and a fighting spirit, but he also knew how to acknowledge others.
His behavior at the start of the first year was probably because there was truly no one around him on an equal footing.
*'He's changed a lot.'*
Back in the first year, it would have been unimaginable for him to visit the home of a commoner like me and have a meal.
*'Well, no matter what anyone says, he's the guy Leo acknowledged.'*
“To think you're friends with a prince. You've really made it big.”
“I guess so.”
As Kiria giggled, Karl sighed.
Karl sat down next to Duran.
He then unfolded the newspaper and checked its contents while drinking some water.
“Pffft?!”
He saw the headline on the front page and involuntarily spat out his water.
Duran, who was drenched by it, immediately grabbed Karl by the collar.
“Cough! Cough-! Hey, hey! Calm down and look at this!”
Karl calmed his coughing fit and showed the newspaper to Duran.
After checking the newspaper's contents, Duran's eyes widened in a rare show of surprise.
“Leo Flove...!”
And his expression twisted slightly.
<The Nightmare of the Past! Hero Slayer Subjugated.>
Subjugators: Leo Flove, Lis Jerdinger, Ulta Regdition, Li Zamoa, Abad Llewellyn, Celia Jerdinger, Chelsea Llewellyn.
<Leo Flove, the Rightful Heir to the Throne of Tongkon!>
Watching Duran stare holes through the newspaper with burning eyes, Karl clicked his tongue in amazement.
“Leo's having a spectacular winter break, huh? By the way, an heir to a throne?”
“Karl, breakfast is ready.”
“Oh!”
Shaking his head, Karl's face lit up as he saw the bread, bacon, and salad served for breakfast.
The moment he picked up his fork to eat.
*Grab-!*
“Huh?”
“There's no time to waste, Karl Thomas. It's time to train.”
“But I have to eat breakfast?”
“Breakfast is after training.”
“Hey! You can just do it by yourself!”
Karl screamed, but Duran, consumed by a burning sense of rivalry, wasn't listening.
“To see my brother moving toward the future with his best friend. I'm so happy.”
Looking at the moved Hellan, Karl screamed internally.
*'This is a best friend?! This is what you call a best friend?!'*
***
*Flutter-!*
Elena, who had been leisurely checking the newspaper with her legs crossed, smiled faintly.
“He's doing well, isn't he, Leo.”
At her words, Albi spoke.
“This will cause quite a stir.”
“It certainly will.”
Most people focused on the reappearance of the Hero Slayer, who was thought to have vanished in the past, and on Leo and his party, who had subjugated him.
However, what caught Elena's attention was the fact that Leo had inherited the throne of Tongkon.
Others might simply dismiss it as him inheriting an ancestor's legacy.
*'But if it's the Leo I know... no. If it's the Hero of the Beginning.'*
Elena, who had vaguely realized Leo's true identity during the last Festival of Heroes, could predict the path he would take from now on.
*'He'll build a force to fight against Tartaros.'*
The power of a few heroes alone is not enough to fight Tartaros.
And to fight against Tartaros, a great power is needed.
A unified power.
*'That's why what Leo was trying to create was a guild.'*
A guild founded by like-minded heroes.
That in itself is a powerful force.
However, when Leo set the goal of establishing a hero guild, more people than expected were wary of him and tried to keep him in check.
The reason was simple.
If an unprecedented being like Leo were to create a hero guild and increase its fame, the current balance of power would collapse.
Leo's goal was, and always had been, the complete subjugation of Erebos.
While that was the world's desire, not many wished for that desire to be fulfilled in their own generation.
*'But perhaps our generation will be the one to face the disaster of an all-out war with Erebos.'*
That was the flow of the times.
The long peace was slowly cracking.
There were those who could clearly feel it, but many others could not.
*'Because the moment they admit it, they'll have to give up a significant portion of what they've enjoyed.'*
Elena gave a cold smile.
Thus, there were many who would check Leo's growing power for reasons of self-interest.
But then, that same Leo suddenly inherited the Kingdom of Tongkon.
Of course, in the grand scheme of the continent, its external influence was insignificant.
But...
*'The fact that a large force willing to follow Leo's will has emerged is significant.'*
It would be possible to rapidly expand his influence with the Kingdom of Tongkon as his base.
*'He probably won't ascend the throne immediately. But for now, he has secured a definite power base.'*
Elena smiled faintly.
“Things are about to get interesting.”
***
“My son has really made it. Becoming the king of a nation.”
Reina smiled warmly.
Looking at Reina, Leo asked.
“How are you feeling?”
“Yes. I'm fine now.”
“What about your flame?”
“As long as I don't overdo it, it doesn't seem like it will eat away at my body.”
After the Hero Slayer met a complete death by Leo's sword, Reina regained her flame.
It wasn't just Reina.
Torua was also able to regain his magic.
In the past, after the Hero Slayer vanished.
It was said that none of the surviving victims of Jorua ever regained their abilities.
*'It's likely because he was revived by the Necro King's authority.'*
Jorua was an undead who should not have existed in the first place.
Such a being had been resurrected, going against the laws of the world.
And that Jorua had his very existence erased by Leo's pure aura.
*'Perhaps that's why the powers he stole were returned to their rightful places.'*
The exact details were unknown, but in any case, it was a relief for Torua.
As for Reina's case...
“Don't you feel any regret?”
“No. My regrets are gone now.”
She had regained her flame, but because she had pushed herself too hard in the fight against Jorua, her body had taken a major hit.
It wouldn't hinder her daily life.
But it would be difficult for her to handle her recovered aura.
If she used her flame, her body would collapse.
“It was a spectacular battle, worthy of being my last. What do you think? This mom of yours? I was truly heroic, wasn't I?”
“...Very much so.”
“To be acknowledged by my son, what an honor.”
Reina smiled faintly.
“Leo.”
“Yes.”
“No matter what anyone says, you are my son. That fact will never change.”
“...Yes.”
“Heehee! You silly boy.”
Reina gently patted Leo's head.
Then, she suddenly wore a puzzled expression.
“By the way, you. I heard you're changing the name of the kingdom you're inheriting?”
“Yes.”
“You don't like the original name?”
“It's not that. There's just a name I really want to use.”
“Oh? What is it?”
“Arhi.”
“Arhi?”
“It means 'Beginning' in the draconic tongue.”
“Hmm? That's a nice meaning.”
“Isn't it?”
Leo smiled faintly.
Arhi.
It was the name of the Erebos subjugation force that Lisinas had led long ago.