Near Imperial Capital, in Kanoi.
Blue Lion.
Known for his leniency and fairness towards the common people, he is hailed as a just man who cannot tolerate injustice and always upholds righteousness.
So, the man who was respected not only by martial artists but also by the people was slowly opening his eyes.
"...Ha!"
The breath he exhaled was mixed with the pain that had been bothering him for so long, as well as worries and concerns.
"Father...?"
Isabelle cautiously looked at her father.
For the first time in months, her father's eyes, which had been clouded by reflux disease, were firm.
Above those pupils, she could see her worried face reflected.
"Do you recognize me?"
"You're overdoing it."
"...?"
"Is there really a case in this world where a father doesn't recognize his own daughter?"
Blue Lion Herman Weyl chuckled, embracing Isabelle as tears streamed down her face.
"Father!"
"Hehe. My girl, indeed. What am I to do with such a mischievous daughter?"
Herman gently stroked his daughter's back as she nestled against his chest.
At that moment, Chen and Ed quietly approached, bowing their heads.
"My lord...!"
"I'm glad to see you're well, sir."
"Thank you both for protecting Isabelle."
Herman nodded, looking around the empty space with a wry smile.
"Is it just the two of you... Is it because of Paul after all?"
Herman had been in a coma for some time, but he had not completely lost consciousness.
Even though he couldn't open his eyes, he had faintly heard conversations between Isabelle, Chen, and others when he regained consciousness occasionally, so he had a rough idea of the current situation.
"I apologize. We should have been more vigilant... Ugh!"
"But once everyone learns that you've opened your eyes again, my lord, the knights of the family will surely change their minds soon."
"No. My body hasn't fully recovered yet. It would be utterly inadequate to claim the title of 'lion.' This way, I'm just making it easier for Paul to devour me."
"…!"
"…!"
A bitter smile played on Herman's lips.
That doesn't make him want to get up right away.
Even if Paul is his younger brother, he was the one who had targeted his daughter and family. No matter how forgiving he might be, he couldn't forgive such actions.
The problem was his current physical condition.
The lion must never show weakness.
It was an absolute rule set by the Golden Lion that only the strong could occupy that position.
"Father, then...!"
"Yes. It seems I'll have to summon the council. I've tried to avoid relying on them as much as possible, but now there's no avoiding it."
Isabelle clenched her fists tightly as she moved away from Herman.
The Blue Hawks.
Herman’s sworn brothers, consisting of a total of six people, were martial artists who practiced justice by wandering around the continent together before he ascended to the rank of Blue Lion.
They were nicknamed for their sharp eyes like hawks and their swift actions when facing villains.
Nowadays, they are leading lives that have nothing to do with the sword, such as establishing their own school or raising a family.
If Herman calls, they will undoubtedly step forward and return to active duty at any time.
"Send separate messages to them."
"As you command!"
"We will heed the call!"
Chen and Ed, knowing their capabilities well, nodded with bright expressions as they left their position.
Since they never knew when or how Paul might strike again, they needed to act quickly.
There was also an intention to give father and daughter some time alone.
"By the way, how exactly did you wake me up?"
As Herman watched them leave, he turned to Isabelle and asked.
In truth, he had only taken the opportunity to move his body when his violent mana suddenly subsided, and he still didn't know the exact reason.
"Lord Elric helped me."
"Elric?"
Herman tilted his head.
Despite having had numerous acquaintances, there was no one by that name among them.
He wondered if Elric might be a hermit who wasn't well known to the public.
Suddenly, Isabelle's cheeks flushed slightly.
‘Hmm?’
Herman could sense a subtle change in his daughter's demeanor.
Has his daughter ever been like this?
He knew exactly what this meant, as he himself had experienced a fiery romance with Isabelle's mother in his youth.
However, seeing this side of his usually composed daughter for the first time did surprise him inwardly.
"That person...!"
While Isabelle seemed slightly excited, she began to explain the events involving Elric in a calm tone.
And...
‘Hoo.’
As her explanation continued, Herman's eyes widened in surprise.
The Elric described in her story was an unparalleled hero—handsome, glorious, and just. But if Mephistopheles and Sean heard it, they would ask, "Who is that?"
"In a world as bleak as it is today, to have a young man with such admirable qualities, isn't that something?"
Herman, satisfied, stroked his chin before suddenly getting up from his seat.
"Why are you suddenly getting up?"
"I have to go."
"Go where? You're not feeling well...!"
"Where does health matter? If there's really such a talented individual, I should go find him even if it's in the depths of the Black Glacier."
"…!"
"And didn't you say he'd help heal my body? Then all the more reason to go, wouldn't you agree?"
* * *
At that moment,
The supposedly righteous (?) the young man was...
"Ah, okay, I got it. I'm sorry. I won't do it again. So, uh...! No, I mean, don't swear. Okay?"
He was sweating profusely in front of the communication crystal ball, where a barrage of nagging was pouring in.
"Huh? Oh, no! Why would I frown! I'm not frowning, really? Sis. So just calm down and listen to me...!"
Elric tried his best to calm down his sister, reflected in the crystal, but her anger, hardened by the rare call, showed no signs of subsiding.
『Pfft!』
Mephisto, with his arms crossed, simply chuckled quietly beside him, not lifting a finger to intervene.
『A being that can even nag a bastard like you. The Melvingers are truly unpredictable!』
Up until now, Mephisto had been confident that no future Melvinger could ever match Elric's caliber.
But it seemed like he might have to change his mind after today.
He heard that Elric had a sister, but he never expected him to be so jittery!
No matter how much Elric tried to appease his sister, all he got in return was a torrent of curses.
『Anyway, wash your neck and wait there! I'll book the carriage right away. If you run away, you're dead meat. Got it?』
Bang!
"Sis? Sis!"
Elric called out to his sister desperately, but the crystal ball, already turned off, showed no signs of coming back to life.
Even after trying to contact the exchange officer and making repeated calls, there was no response.
Judging by his sister's personality, she would undoubtedly head straight to Imperial Capital.
Clang!
It felt like thunder was ringing in Elric's head.
His complexion turned pale without him realizing it.
"Tsk tsk! Didn't I tell you? You should have contacted her in advance. You said you could handle it with just one letter. What a mess."
Sean shook his head as if to say, "What a mess," while sticking out his tongue.
Wasn't it true that incidents related to Elric had been somewhat chaotic lately?
Even though Elric's hometown was tucked away in a remote corner even by imperial standards, there was no way the journalists hoping for a scoop would just sit idly by.
They might not know much, but they must have poked around a few times.
So, no matter how much Elric had warned her in advance, his sister couldn't help but feel impatient.
Instead of frequently contacting her to reassure her, he had behaved almost like an irresponsible absentee for nearly two months.
It would be strange if she didn't get angry.
‘In fact, she's quite remarkable. She's been silent all this time. That must mean she trusts Elric... If he were my brother, I would have killed him long ago, seriously.’
Elric, who had a lost expression on his face, was only able to force his head to turn towards Sean after a while.
He looked like a broken puppet.
"My dear friend, Sean! I have a favor to ask...!"
"Huh. No way."
"You didn't listen to me till the end!"
"I didn't have to listen because it's obvious. You want me to hide you in some villa."
"As expected of my best friend! You understand even without me saying it!"
"Yeah. So I don't want to."
"Why!"
"I don't want to get dragged along and be chewed out by your sister."
"You jerk! Are you really going to throw away our precious friendship just to live alone!"
"Can you speak properly? Haven't I contacted you frequently? Who do you think is responsible for your sister not coming to the Imperial Capital so far?"
Sean had seen Elric's sister a few times, so he knew her personality very well.
Normally, she was so gentle and reserved that one might wonder if such a woman really existed, let alone if she was a sibling who shared blood with Elric.
Additionally, she was a dedicated person who gave up her own dreams for the sake of her younger brother's ambition to succeed as a magician.
Sean, who always lived in the shadow of his sister’s accomplishments, couldn't help but envy Elric.
Occasionally, there were moments when Sean feared Elric’s sister.
Right when Elric had an accident.
Just as a normally quiet person can be scary when he or she gets angry, Elric's sister fell into that category.
"Oh no...!"
Elric's face turned pale as he slumped to the ground.
"Just reaping what you sowed, huh?"
Sean clicked his tongue indifferently.
* * *
After Sean delivered Elric's message to his family, an invitation to dinner was promptly issued to Elric.
Anywhere near the Nerester’s main house, even if he were a close friend of the family, entry was impossible without a formal invitation.
So Elric, accompanied by Sean, was on his way to "Hill of fog," where Nerester’s main house was located.
During the journey, Sean asked Elric if he had contacted his worried sister yet.
It was then that Elric, who had been putting it off due to the circumstances, suddenly remembered and hastily sent a message home through a magician from Nerester.
Of course, as expected, the result was the same as it is now.
"Hey."
It was a while after the communication ended that Elric came to his senses.
His eyes were intense.
"Why?"
"I've decided."
"What?"
"Going to run away."
"What?"
"I said I'm going to run away."
Sean's expression twisted fiercely.
"Are you out of your mind?"
"If I'm going to die now or later, it's all the same. I'd rather find a way to live longer!"
"Shut up, you idiot! Then you'll just drag me into trouble again!"
Sean said he was going to get into big trouble and ended up jumping out of his seat.
Elric had already made up his mind.
"Anyway, it'll take time for my sister to come to the imperial capital... I'm going north in the meantime. You just pretend you didn't know I sneaked off."
"Why north again!"
"I have something to see."
The Temple of Flower was in the north.
Sean gritted his teeth.
"Just go ahead and run away. If you do, I'll blame you for all those accidents you caused behind your sister's back."
Elric had a fairly extensive record of mischief, even as a personality wreck.
Of course, many of them had been swept under the rug before they became known in his hometown.
"Damn it! Are you even a friend?"
"Weren't we estranged?"
"You bastard...!"
Elric's fist trembled, but Sean just chuckled, holding his head high.
"Anyway, go ahead and do whatever you want. When that happens, I'll make sure to lock you up for good. Karl, keep a close eye on this troublemaker."
"Yes, sir. Understood."
"Damn it!"
As Elric glared at Karl beside him and nodded his head, he realized there was no way out anymore.
Before becoming Sean's secretary, Karl had been specially trained as a 'shadow' in the Nerester family.
The ability to fool Professor Berex all this time was not something anyone could do.
Moreover, Karl was one of the victims who suffered because of Elric’s incidents.
『What kind of person is your elder sister?』
Was it because of that? Mephisto became even more anxious as he was so curious about the existence of Elric’s sister who was immobilizing Elric and Sean.
Anyway, since he dreamed of resurrection, it was better for him to know as much as possible about his nemesis, Melvinger.
And...
Elric sighed as he spoke.
[....she is just normal.]
『Hmm?』
[So, it's even scarier.]
『…?』
Mephisto tilted his head as he did not understand what Elric meant.
Whether he understood or not.
Elric furrowed his brow and looked at the various stacks of documents piled on the opposite seat. Alongside them were several invitations and letters with various messages printed on them.
Thud. The carriage shook, causing the stack of documents to tremble.
"Are all these for me?"
"Yeah. There are the business proposals, there are scholarship notifications, and these are invitations. Wow, Elric, you're becoming quite popular, huh?"
They were all letters sent from various places to "The Hero of Lacente" and "Radiant Star Duke," who were currently soaring in popularity.
Near Imperial Capital, in Kanoi.
Blue Lion.
Known for his leniency and fairness towards the common people, he is hailed as a just man who cannot tolerate injustice and always upholds righteousness.
So, the man who was respected not only by martial artists but also by the people was slowly opening his eyes.
"...Ha!"
The breath he exhaled was mixed with the pain that had been bothering him for so long, as well as worries and concerns.
"Father...?"
Isabelle cautiously looked at her father.
For the first time in months, her father's eyes, which had been clouded by reflux disease, were firm.
Above those pupils, she could see her worried face reflected.
"Do you recognize me?"
"You're overdoing it."
"...?"
"Is there really a case in this world where a father doesn't recognize his own daughter?"
Blue Lion Herman Weyl chuckled, embracing Isabelle as tears streamed down her face.
"Father!"
"Hehe. My girl, indeed. What am I to do with such a mischievous daughter?"
Herman gently stroked his daughter's back as she nestled against his chest.
At that moment, Chen and Ed quietly approached, bowing their heads.
"My lord...!"
"I'm glad to see you're well, sir."
"Thank you both for protecting Isabelle."
Herman nodded, looking around the empty space with a wry smile.
"Is it just the two of you... Is it because of Paul after all?"
Herman had been in a coma for some time, but he had not completely lost consciousness.
Even though he couldn't open his eyes, he had faintly heard conversations between Isabelle, Chen, and others when he regained consciousness occasionally, so he had a rough idea of the current situation.
"I apologize. We should have been more vigilant... Ugh!"
"But once everyone learns that you've opened your eyes again, my lord, the knights of the family will surely change their minds soon."
"No. My body hasn't fully recovered yet. It would be utterly inadequate to claim the title of 'lion.' This way, I'm just making it easier for Paul to devour me."
"…!"
"…!"
A bitter smile played on Herman's lips.
That doesn't make him want to get up right away.
Even if Paul is his younger brother, he was the one who had targeted his daughter and family. No matter how forgiving he might be, he couldn't forgive such actions.
The problem was his current physical condition.
The lion must never show weakness.
It was an absolute rule set by the Golden Lion that only the strong could occupy that position.
"Father, then...!"
"Yes. It seems I'll have to summon the council. I've tried to avoid relying on them as much as possible, but now there's no avoiding it."
Isabelle clenched her fists tightly as she moved away from Herman.
The Blue Hawks.
Herman’s sworn brothers, consisting of a total of six people, were martial artists who practiced justice by wandering around the continent together before he ascended to the rank of Blue Lion.
They were nicknamed for their sharp eyes like hawks and their swift actions when facing villains.
Nowadays, they are leading lives that have nothing to do with the sword, such as establishing their own school or raising a family.
If Herman calls, they will undoubtedly step forward and return to active duty at any time.
"Send separate messages to them."
"As you command!"
"We will heed the call!"
Chen and Ed, knowing their capabilities well, nodded with bright expressions as they left their position.
Since they never knew when or how Paul might strike again, they needed to act quickly.
There was also an intention to give father and daughter some time alone.
"By the way, how exactly did you wake me up?"
As Herman watched them leave, he turned to Isabelle and asked.
In truth, he had only taken the opportunity to move his body when his violent mana suddenly subsided, and he still didn't know the exact reason.
"Lord Elric helped me."
"Elric?"
Herman tilted his head.
Despite having had numerous acquaintances, there was no one by that name among them.
He wondered if Elric might be a hermit who wasn't well known to the public.
Suddenly, Isabelle's cheeks flushed slightly.
‘Hmm?’
Herman could sense a subtle change in his daughter's demeanor.
Has his daughter ever been like this?
He knew exactly what this meant, as he himself had experienced a fiery romance with Isabelle's mother in his youth.
However, seeing this side of his usually composed daughter for the first time did surprise him inwardly.
"That person...!"
While Isabelle seemed slightly excited, she began to explain the events involving Elric in a calm tone.
And...
‘Hoo.’
As her explanation continued, Herman's eyes widened in surprise.
The Elric described in her story was an unparalleled hero—handsome, glorious, and just. But if Mephistopheles and Sean heard it, they would ask, "Who is that?"
"In a world as bleak as it is today, to have a young man with such admirable qualities, isn't that something?"
Herman, satisfied, stroked his chin before suddenly getting up from his seat.
"Why are you suddenly getting up?"
"I have to go."
"Go where? You're not feeling well...!"
"Where does health matter? If there's really such a talented individual, I should go find him even if it's in the depths of the Black Glacier."
"…!"
"And didn't you say he'd help heal my body? Then all the more reason to go, wouldn't you agree?"
* * *
At that moment,
The supposedly righteous (?) the young man was...
"Ah, okay, I got it. I'm sorry. I won't do it again. So, uh...! No, I mean, don't swear. Okay?"
He was sweating profusely in front of the communication crystal ball, where a barrage of nagging was pouring in.
"Huh? Oh, no! Why would I frown! I'm not frowning, really? Sis. So just calm down and listen to me...!"
Elric tried his best to calm down his sister, reflected in the crystal, but her anger, hardened by the rare call, showed no signs of subsiding.
『Pfft!』
Mephisto, with his arms crossed, simply chuckled quietly beside him, not lifting a finger to intervene.
『A being that can even nag a bastard like you. The Melvingers are truly unpredictable!』
Up until now, Mephisto had been confident that no future Melvinger could ever match Elric's caliber.
But it seemed like he might have to change his mind after today.
He heard that Elric had a sister, but he never expected him to be so jittery!
No matter how much Elric tried to appease his sister, all he got in return was a torrent of curses.
『Anyway, wash your neck and wait there! I'll book the carriage right away. If you run away, you're dead meat. Got it?』
Bang!
"Sis? Sis!"
Elric called out to his sister desperately, but the crystal ball, already turned off, showed no signs of coming back to life.
Even after trying to contact the exchange officer and making repeated calls, there was no response.
Judging by his sister's personality, she would undoubtedly head straight to Imperial Capital.
Clang!
It felt like thunder was ringing in Elric's head.
His complexion turned pale without him realizing it.
"Tsk tsk! Didn't I tell you? You should have contacted her in advance. You said you could handle it with just one letter. What a mess."
Sean shook his head as if to say, "What a mess," while sticking out his tongue.
Wasn't it true that incidents related to Elric had been somewhat chaotic lately?
Even though Elric's hometown was tucked away in a remote corner even by imperial standards, there was no way the journalists hoping for a scoop would just sit idly by.
They might not know much, but they must have poked around a few times.
So, no matter how much Elric had warned her in advance, his sister couldn't help but feel impatient.
Instead of frequently contacting her to reassure her, he had behaved almost like an irresponsible absentee for nearly two months.
It would be strange if she didn't get angry.
‘In fact, she's quite remarkable. She's been silent all this time. That must mean she trusts Elric... If he were my brother, I would have killed him long ago, seriously.’
Elric, who had a lost expression on his face, was only able to force his head to turn towards Sean after a while.
He looked like a broken puppet.
"My dear friend, Sean! I have a favor to ask...!"
"Huh. No way."
"You didn't listen to me till the end!"
"I didn't have to listen because it's obvious. You want me to hide you in some villa."
"As expected of my best friend! You understand even without me saying it!"
"Yeah. So I don't want to."
"Why!"
"I don't want to get dragged along and be chewed out by your sister."
"You jerk! Are you really going to throw away our precious friendship just to live alone!"
"Can you speak properly? Haven't I contacted you frequently? Who do you think is responsible for your sister not coming to the Imperial Capital so far?"
Sean had seen Elric's sister a few times, so he knew her personality very well.
Normally, she was so gentle and reserved that one might wonder if such a woman really existed, let alone if she was a sibling who shared blood with Elric.
Additionally, she was a dedicated person who gave up her own dreams for the sake of her younger brother's ambition to succeed as a magician.
Sean, who always lived in the shadow of his sister’s accomplishments, couldn't help but envy Elric.
Occasionally, there were moments when Sean feared Elric’s sister.
Right when Elric had an accident.
Just as a normally quiet person can be scary when he or she gets angry, Elric's sister fell into that category.
"Oh no...!"
Elric's face turned pale as he slumped to the ground.
"Just reaping what you sowed, huh?"
Sean clicked his tongue indifferently.
* * *
After Sean delivered Elric's message to his family, an invitation to dinner was promptly issued to Elric.
Anywhere near the Nerester’s main house, even if he were a close friend of the family, entry was impossible without a formal invitation.
So Elric, accompanied by Sean, was on his way to "Hill of fog," where Nerester’s main house was located.
During the journey, Sean asked Elric if he had contacted his worried sister yet.
It was then that Elric, who had been putting it off due to the circumstances, suddenly remembered and hastily sent a message home through a magician from Nerester.
Of course, as expected, the result was the same as it is now.
"Hey."
It was a while after the communication ended that Elric came to his senses.
His eyes were intense.
"Why?"
"I've decided."
"What?"
"Going to run away."
"What?"
"I said I'm going to run away."
Sean's expression twisted fiercely.
"Are you out of your mind?"
"If I'm going to die now or later, it's all the same. I'd rather find a way to live longer!"
"Shut up, you idiot! Then you'll just drag me into trouble again!"
Sean said he was going to get into big trouble and ended up jumping out of his seat.
Elric had already made up his mind.
"Anyway, it'll take time for my sister to come to the imperial capital... I'm going north in the meantime. You just pretend you didn't know I sneaked off."
"Why north again!"
"I have something to see."
The Temple of Flower was in the north.
Sean gritted his teeth.
"Just go ahead and run away. If you do, I'll blame you for all those accidents you caused behind your sister's back."
Elric had a fairly extensive record of mischief, even as a personality wreck.
Of course, many of them had been swept under the rug before they became known in his hometown.
"Damn it! Are you even a friend?"
"Weren't we estranged?"
"You bastard...!"
Elric's fist trembled, but Sean just chuckled, holding his head high.
"Anyway, go ahead and do whatever you want. When that happens, I'll make sure to lock you up for good. Karl, keep a close eye on this troublemaker."
"Yes, sir. Understood."
"Damn it!"
As Elric glared at Karl beside him and nodded his head, he realized there was no way out anymore.
Before becoming Sean's secretary, Karl had been specially trained as a 'shadow' in the Nerester family.
The ability to fool Professor Berex all this time was not something anyone could do.
Moreover, Karl was one of the victims who suffered because of Elric’s incidents.
『What kind of person is your elder sister?』
Was it because of that? Mephisto became even more anxious as he was so curious about the existence of Elric’s sister who was immobilizing Elric and Sean.
Anyway, since he dreamed of resurrection, it was better for him to know as much as possible about his nemesis, Melvinger.
And...
Elric sighed as he spoke.
[....she is just normal.]
『Hmm?』
[So, it's even scarier.]
『…?』
Mephisto tilted his head as he did not understand what Elric meant.
Whether he understood or not.
Elric furrowed his brow and looked at the various stacks of documents piled on the opposite seat. Alongside them were several invitations and letters with various messages printed on them.
Thud. The carriage shook, causing the stack of documents to tremble.
"Are all these for me?"
"Yeah. There are the business proposals, there are scholarship notifications, and these are invitations. Wow, Elric, you're becoming quite popular, huh?"
They were all letters sent from various places to "The Hero of Lacente" and "Radiant Star Duke," who were currently soaring in popularity.
