Editor : Amethyst00



Leo, resting his chin on his hand, gazed out at the scenery beyond the carriage window.

Unlike the perpetually cold northern continent and the mostly desert-covered hot southern continent, the western continent had relatively distinct seasons.

"It's been a while since we've gone on a family trip like this."

Reina, sitting across from Leo, smiled as she looked out the window.

"Are you okay with this?"

"With what?"

"You weren’t really keen on coming to Zerdinger, were you?"

"That’s true."

Reina leaned her head against the window and looked at the scenery outside.

The landscape she had grown up with was reflected in her crimson eyes.

In the distance, the massive outer walls of Zerdinger came into view.

The great hero family, Zerdinger.

There was a time she bore that name on her back.

Those were glorious days.

She recalled the time when she had been a hero candidates under the world’s spotlight.

The beautiful knight of Zerdinger.

She was always top of her class and graduated from Lumene as the best honor student.

Even after graduating, she achieved countless feats and was expected to soon make her name in the Hero Record.

But Reina never became a hero.

She had sacrificed herself to save a friend on the brink of death during a hero dungeon expedition.

Though she barely survived and returned alive, Reina lost her aura and became unable to fight.

Even after retirement, she could have remained in the family.

Even if she could no longer fight, the name of Zerdinger wouldn’t vanish.

But Reina left the family to pursue the life she truly wanted.

"It's not like I didn’t want to come back to Zerdinger because of old regrets."

Reina smiled.

"I'm much happier now than I was back then."

She never regretted sacrificing herself for a friend.

Nor did she regret abandoning her family name.

"I married the man I love."

Reina leaned her head on Dade's shoulder and locked arms with him.

"And we had this wonderful son."

"You two are still so lovey-dovey."

"Of course. Dad and I will live sweetly together forever. Right, Dade?"

"Of course, Reina."

Leo chuckled awkwardly at his parents, who were still clearly madly in love.

Those two are going to be like this for life.

As Leo shook his head—

"The reason I didn’t want to come back was because of the Elder Council."

Reina clicked her tongue.

"I'm sure they’ll say all kinds of annoying things about the past again. Ugh. I’m so sick of it."

Come to think of it, the Elder Council once tried to arrange a political marriage between the current emperor and my mother.

Because the Elder Council only cared about the Zerdinger family’s prosperity, they had tried to use Reina as a tool for political marriage.

Even though she had lost her aura, Reina was a direct descendant and a renowned knight. If she had wanted, she could easily have become the empress.

"But to me, Dade is a far better husband than any emperor!"

"You're embarrassing me."

Dade laughed awkwardly.

"Anyway, now you, Leo, have gained great fame."

Reina smiled brightly.

"I figured they wouldn't be able to spout that nonsense anymore, so I came right away. Actually, I might even throw it back in their faces—‘What if I had married the emperor back then?’"

An unprecedented hero had been born.

A successor to the great hero who saved the world and was acknowledged by the gods.

Of course, Leo wasn’t just the successor—he was the hero—but Reina didn’t know that.

"Hehehe. Just imagining the old geezers’ expressions souring makes me so happy! Oh-hohohohoho!"

As Reina cackled like a witch, Leo shook his head and looked out the window.

A couple, huh.

Putting aside the fact that they were his parents in this life—

Leo was grateful to Dade and Reina.

Having been an orphan in his previous life, he had never known the warmth of a parent.

It was they who taught him what a parent’s love felt like, and the joy of a normal life.

Their lives… have shown me just how valuable what we did truly was.

Leo smiled faintly as he looked at the two.

Reina let out a deep sigh as she looked back at her son.

Our son is making that old-soul expression again.

She was well aware that sometimes her son would look at her with eyes too deep for his age.

Which makes teasing him no fun at all.

Her nickname, the Flame Witch, didn’t just come from burning enemies on the battlefield with fire.

It also came from her tendency to play tricks on those around her.

Our son doesn't flinch at anything, so there's no cute reaction.

Grumbling to herself, Reina suddenly remembered something and smiled slyly.

"Come to think of it, Leo."

"Yes?"

"Don’t you have a girlfriend yet?"

He was a teenage boy, so naturally he'd be interested in girls.

And Lumene had no shortage of beautiful girls.

He must have at least one girl he likes, right?

"I have lots of girlfriends."

"What?"

Reina’s face went blank at his answer.

"Are you going around dating one girl after another? I didn’t raise you like that!"

"I meant I have many friends who are girls. What were you thinking?"

"Why you—are you messing with your mom?"

Reina covered her face in exasperation.

"There are so many pretty girls around you, and yet you’re not dating anyone? Studying and training are good, but school days are also for love! There’s Chelsea from the Lewellin family, and over summer break I saw that Chen Xia and Chloe were pretty too."

Reina began listing Leo’s friends.

"There’s also Ellen and Verga’s daughters—weren’t their names Lunia and Aru? And that girl Eiran from the Ersar family too."

One by one, she counted them off on her fingers.

With that lineup, you’ve got the perfect daughter-in-law material, she thought.

"I want to see my grandchild soon, so I won’t even scold you if it’s a shotgun wedding."

"You want me to knock someone up?"

"You’re still a kid too, you know?"

Reina gave him a scandalized look.

Leo furrowed his brow at her.

"Geez. You don’t even blink. No charm at all."

"Mother, how old are you exactly?"

"My heart is forever seventeen."

"You do realize that’s cringe, right?"

"You cheeky boy, watch that mouth!"

With a sweet smile, Reina pinched Leo’s cheek hard, her forehead veins bulging.

As they spent this rare, peaceful family time together—

The carriage carrying the Plov family arrived at the main gate of Zerdinger Castle.

bl

When the carriage door opened, the first thing they saw was a formation of Zerdinger knights lined up on both sides with a path left in the middle.

Leo narrowed his eyes at the sight.

Even though Reina had renounced the family name, she had once been a direct descendant.

It wasn’t strange for many to come out to greet her for formality’s sake.

But…

Not a single person here looks like they have Zerdinger blood.

Black hair and crimson eyes.

None of them bore the traits of the Zerdinger bloodline.

Moreover, the knights exuded a sharp, aggressive aura.

It was anything but a welcoming atmosphere.

If Leo had come alone, it wouldn’t be an issue.

But Dade and Reina were essentially civilians.

Reina might be able to withstand the pressure thanks to her training, despite losing her aura—but Dade definitely couldn’t.

They kicked Mother out for marrying Father, after all.

He didn’t expect a warm welcome, but this open hostility was surprising.

Same for Leo.

The next heads of the house, Rhys and Celia, treated him well, and his fame was high, so no one showed open resentment.

There were those within Zerdinger who disliked how suddenly I was given the title of direct heir.

Reina had said she’d say a word to the Elder Council.

Even if her son was a great hero, she likely feared he wouldn’t be treated fairly unless she accompanied him.

Zerdinger was, after all, a prestigious family with a long history.

Which meant complex internal politics.

If she had just sent him to deal with it alone, who knows what might have happened.

Usually, Leo wouldn’t bat an eye at such things.

But if it involved Dade and Reina, it was different.

Tap—

Leo stepped down from the carriage.

All the knights turned to him.

Step…

“Ugh?!”

“Khk?”

As Leo moved forward—

A tremendous pressure swept over the knights.

If they want a petty aura battle, I'm happy to oblige.

Their aggressive pressure vanished in an instant.

The knights turned pale.

Some even staggered.

Following Leo, Dade stepped out and looked puzzled.

Reina, holding Dade’s hand, narrowed her eyes as she assessed the situation.

“The knights who came to greet us… they’re Elder Council knights.”

She clicked her tongue quietly as she spotted the crest on their shoulders.

Then she looked at Leo.

"Father, Mother. Let’s go."

Dade nodded at Leo’s words.

Thump. Thump.

With every step Leo took, more knights collapsed to their knees, unable to bear the pressure.

Dade’s expression hardened slightly as he witnessed it.

He wasn’t sure what had happened, but he knew there had been an invisible clash between Leo and the knights.

Step—

At last, the three from the Plov family stood before the mansion.

A moment later—

Creaaak—

The mansion’s large doors opened, and a sturdy old man emerged, flanked by others who appeared to be elders.

Reina muttered quietly as she recognized the man’s face.

“Father.”

Dade tensed up.

Leo looked at his maternal grandfather with an emotionless gaze.

The previous head of the Zerdinger family—

Regas Zerdinger spoke.

“Seems like you didn’t appreciate the Elder Council’s welcome.”

His eyes flicked over Dade and Reina, finally landing on Leo.

“You lost your temper, it seems. Leo Zerdinger.”

Reina’s eyes twitched. Dade’s brows furrowed.

Calling Leo “Zerdinger” was effectively denying his paternal lineage.

Though he had been acknowledged as a direct heir, Leo’s surname had not changed.

Leo smiled coolly at Regas’s words.

“The welcome was a disaster.”

“How dare you speak so to the elders of the house!”

One of the elders behind Regas exploded in anger.

Leo ignored him entirely.

“And I didn’t lose my temper. Your knights are just weak.”

“You insolent—!”

“And most importantly,”

Leo shrugged.

“My name is Leo Plov, Regas Zerdinger, former head of the family.”

Regas, known as the Flame Heart, stared into Leo’s crimson eyes.

Then the old hero grinned.

“Indeed.”

He stroked his beard.

“Seems you really did give birth to a monster, Reina.”

“Calling your grandson a monster—isn’t that a bit much, Father? And what kind of grandfather tests his grandson the first time he meets him?”

Reina grumbled, and Regas burst into hearty laughter.

“I just wanted to see for myself how impressive this so-called Leo Plov is! And truly, you are remarkable!”

Laughing with glee, Regas smiled broadly.

“Welcome to Zerdinger.”