Chapter 602

A mountain pass portal welcomed them.

Stepping out from the threshold, they were instantly greeted by a scenic overlook that revealed the sweeping cityscape below.

Chelsea dashed toward the ledge, gripping the barrier tightly.

“Incredible! So this is Retin, the heart of the entire Resentung territory!”

Chelsea stared out across the sprawling urban landscape in sheer awe.

Whish!

A frigid gust of winter air, swept upward by the mountain drafts, tossed Chelsea’s hair about.

“This feels amazing!”

Even with the piercing cold of the season, Chelsea let out a bright laugh.

As a wind mage, this chilly atmosphere seemed to bring Chelsea nothing but delight.

“La la la~ lal~”

A lighthearted melody drifted effortlessly from Chelsea’s lips.

“Hey! Leo! Tell me what’s happening here! Why on earth is that tiresome Chelsea Lewellen joining us?!”

“Since we are spending our break in the exact same nation anyway, wouldn’t it be nice to experience it together?”

Celia seized Leo by the arm, shaking him with visible agitation.

“Even if we are in the same country, do you realize the sheer scale of our empire’s lands?! What exactly is supposed to be nice about this?!”

Catching the drift of their remarks, Chelsea snapped her head around to face the pair.

For a brief split second, Chelsea and Celia locked eyes.

Chelsea pulled down the lower lid of her right eye using her index finger and flashed her tongue mockingly.

“Must I endure that exact behavior even when we are supposed to be on holiday?!”

Abbad, observing Celia’s intense display of disapproval from nearby, let out a gentle chuckle.

“They share quite a close bond.”

“You look at this and honestly think we get along?!”

Abbad merely offered a soft smile to the deeply annoyed Celia.

“My lady, I suggest lowering your voice. A great number of people are currently observing us.”

Jolted by his warning, Celia cast her gaze around the immediate area.

The inquisitive looks of fellow travelers exiting the portal were locked squarely onto Celia.

Noticing the attention, Celia cleared her throat with a sharp cough and quickly adjusted her garments.

Instantly reverting to the demeanor of a flawless noblewoman, Celia turned her attention toward Niel.

“My gratitude, Niel sister.”

“As a warrior of Gerdinger, and as your sworn protector, serving you is my absolute priority, My Lady.”

Niel, outfitted in nimble light plate armor that contrasted with Celia’s attire, struck her chest firmly with her fist.

“The Rhoda lineage holds the honor of Gerdinger in the highest regard.”

Celia offered a warm expression in response to her dependable presence.

Celia and Niel shared a connection that transcended a simple master-servant dynamic; they had grown up like sisters since their youth.

Though Celia always strived for absolute perfection, she occasionally lost her composure when provoked, much like moments ago.

Whenever those instances arose, Niel would step in to anchor Celia like an older sister would.

‘With Niel sister near me, I am always filled with a sense of safety.’

“Young Lord Abbad. I managed to pick up the regional travel companion directory available right here at the portal station.”

“What? Machael Luzia? What brings you here, you little troublemaker?”

“As a practitioner of the Lewellen school, is it not my solemn obligation to aid Young Lord Abbad and Lady Chelsea?”

“Obligation, my foot! What gave you the impression you could tag along?!”

“Hmph. This very region will eventually serve as Young Lord Leo’s domain.”

“I have never quite grasped this, but why do you insist on addressing Young Lord Leo as Young Lord Leo?! That man is a direct branch member of Gerdinger!”

“Prior to that connection, he stands as the successor to the Flobe lineage! The closest companion to Young Lord Abbad and Lady Chelsea! Is that fact alone not completely valid for me to address him as Young Lord?”

“That makes absolutely no sense!”

Niel and Machael began to bicker openly, stepping forward until their foreheads nearly touched.

The surrounding crowd instantly shifted their focus to the massive disturbance, which completely overshadowed the brief scene Celia had caused moments prior.

“Oh my? What is the cause of their dispute?”

“Look at those heraldic symbols… they appear to represent Gerdinger and Lewellen.”

“Ah, the twin legendary aristocratic lineages of Rhodren?”

“Rumor had it that they possessed a strained relationship, and this certainly validates the gossip.”

“My wagers are on the female warrior emerging victorious.”

“Unsure, I wonder if the male spellcaster will get the upper hand?”

Voyagers passing through the portal began exchanging hushed commentary.

With public focus locking onto their group, Celia masked her features with her palms out of utter mortification, while Abbad offered a strained grin.

By this point, stepping in to separate the two seemed entirely beyond Celia and Abbad.

“Leo, please step in and halt this.”

Celia spoke in a hushed, urgent whisper, yet no counter arrived.

“Leo?”

Celia lowered her palms and shifted her gaze to the side.

Leo, who had occupied that exact spot just a moment ago, was nowhere to be found.

“L-Lady Celia. If your eyes are searching for Young Lord Leo, he is positioned over on that side…”

Martina, who had traveled along to assist Leo, pointed delicately toward the edge.

Over there, Leo was taking in the sights of Retin from the scenic overlook right alongside Chelsea.

“Leo brother, what is the point of inserting a token to utilize these mechanical lenses? You could easily observe everything using standard magic.”

“Because I find a particular sort of aesthetic appeal in doing it this way.”

“Is that right?”

Observing their detached demeanor, as though they were completely unrelated to the commotion and had drawn a clear boundary, Celia felt her irritation surging.

“You two! Do something to break them up!”

Celia marched directly over to the pair, her words issuing through clenched teeth.

“Who might you be? Are you an acquaintance of Leo brother?”

“I have no recollection of meeting you before?”

As Leo and Chelsea acted as though she were a complete stranger, Celia’s crimson eyes flashed with annoyance.

Witnessing that look, Leo thought silently to himself.

‘If I push her buttons any further, she is going to completely lose it.’

Chelsea appeared to sense the rising tension as well, letting out a quiet click of her tongue.

“I have zero desire to get pulled into the crossfire of those two bickering.”

“Pardon?”

“You are still entirely unaware, aren’t you?”

In that brief instant, Chelsea’s expression darkened slightly.

“Lady Chelsea possesses far greater beauty than Celia Gerdinger!”

“Don’t speak such nonsense! Lady Celia is vastly more attractive! Men hold a preference for the elegant, composed, and regal archetype that Lady Celia embodies!”

“Bold words coming from someone who isn’t even a grown man! Lady Chelsea is reminiscent of an exquisite, delicate blossom…”

“Lady Celia is comparable to a majestic rose as well!”

Hearing the echoing declarations of the feuding pair, Celia’s lips parted in utter disbelief.

“Wh-what on earth is the meaning of that?”

“Those two! Every single time they lock horns, they inevitably drag us into the center of it!”

Chelsea voiced her frustration with a sharp cry.

Chelsea had previously crossed paths with Niel while walking alongside Machael on the academy grounds.

The pair would invariably fall into a fierce debate, snarling at one another, and after a certain point, they would pivot to boasting about Celia, Chelsea, and Abbad, competing over who possessed greater prestige.

Operating in entirely different academic spheres, they were such bitter rivals that they typically steered clear of one another, making actual interactions a rarity, but their arguments had already become legendary entertainment among the senior students.

Understandably, from Chelsea’s point of view, it was a humiliating spectacle that made her wish the ground would swallow her up.

Monitoring the pair, Celia suddenly recollected certain remarks her seniors had made in the past, which had utterly baffled her at the moment.

‘My goodness~ a solitary rose.’

‘The most formidable lady on the continent is making her way through.’

“All of those comments were due to that specific dispute?!”

“If Lady Celia truly desired it, capturing the heart of your young master would be an effortless task!”

“Preposterous! Young Lord Abbad is far more capable of capturing the heart of your lady…”

“Kyaaaaaaack!”

Celia, her cheeks burning crimson, let out a piercing shriek and bolted directly toward Niel.

Abbad, who typically maintained an unshakeable composure through any event, appeared thoroughly shaken this time, darting toward Machael to forcibly seal his lips shut.

Right at that moment, Leo’s personal Slayer Knights made their way over.

“Young Lord. What are your commands?”

As Austin inquired with a tone of extreme caution, Leo let out a subtle smirk.

“I have no acquaintance with those individuals.”

“Likewise.”

Chelsea immediately chimed in to support Leo’s statement.

Hearing their responses, Karin spoke up with measured care.

“Young Lord.”

“What is it?”

“Would it be permissible for us to act as though we are solely part of your immediate group?”

In response, Leo signaled toward the space behind him with a slight nod of his chin.

“Form up right behind me.”

“Understood.”

Following his instruction, Leo’s personal guard rapidly aligned themselves directly at his back.

Watching the smooth transition, Chelsea expressed her admiration.

“They are exceptionally skilled at reading the room.”

“We discovered through our time with Young Lord Leo that selecting the proper side early on is absolutely vital.”

At Karin’s remark, the surrounding warriors nodded their heads in collective agreement.

Observing this, Chelsea simply shook her head in disbelief.

“We offer our deepest regrets! Lady Celia!”

“We offer our deepest regrets! Young Lord Abbad!”

Niel and Machael delivered profound, ninety-degree bows to their respective leaders.

Celia looked upon Niel, offering a slightly strained smile while shaking her head gently.

“It is perfectly fine, Niel sister. Chelsea and I find ourselves in similar arguments quite frequently, don’t we?”

“You are well aware that we have been bickering since our childhood days, correct? There is truly no need to feel so dynamic a sense of guilt, Machael.”

Abbad offered a comforting pat to Machael’s shoulder to put him at ease.

Chelsea, who had been observing the interaction with a critical eye, remarked casually.

“Even so, we manage not to bring that level of public embarrassment upon our respective houses.”

Following that jab, the two lowering figures slumped their shoulders even further.

Celia and Abbad cast identical glares in Chelsea’s direction.

Startled by the sudden heat, Chelsea swiftly sought refuge behind Leo’s frame, peering out with only the top half of her face visible.

At that moment, the entire gathering was taking refuge inside a tavern situated a short distance from the portal station, shaking off the chill.

Even for martial artists and spellcasters who had conditioned their bodies through unrelenting discipline, there was little sense in remaining exposed to the freezing currents of a bitter winter afternoon.

Particularly because the Resentung province sat geographically close to the northernmost edge of the landmass, an area widely recognized as a territory of unrelenting winter.

Abbad, utilizing a steaming goblet to restore warmth to his hands, directed a question across the table.

“On that note, Celia. I received word that a few alumni from the academy are currently stationed with the Gerdinger forces?”

“Correct. Senior Zamua, Senior Torua, and Senior Ulta are present in the region.”

“It would certainly be fitting to pay them our respects.”

“They are presently deployed alongside Lys brother to quell local insurrections, meaning they are absent from the estate regardless.”

Leo and Celia had journeyed to Resentung without receiving any direct updates regarding the deployed alumni, including Lys.

“Leo brother. Is your intention to proceed directly to Retin’s central administrative hall from here?”

Chelsea posed the question while enjoying a spoonful of chilled cream.

The members of the Lewellen faction had journeyed to this destination strictly upon Leo’s personal request.

Consequently, they were entirely content to shadow Leo wherever his path led.

“Hmm.”

Leo turned the pages of a local information directory intended for visitors.

Regas had meticulously organized legal declarations capable of verifying that Leo stood as the authentic sovereign of the entire Resentung territory.

The packet contained not only the property titles for the Resentung lands, but also an official decree validating that Leo’s maternal grandmother, Nyla Gerdinger, stood as the rightful successor to the ancient Tungkhan Kingdom.

Furthermore, he possessed a relic capable of verifying that lineage beyond a shadow of a doubt.

This very city of Retin had served as the grand capital of Tungkhan in eras past.

The administrative hall of Retin functioned as the primary seat of governance, broadcasting its authority across the breadth of the Resentung province.

And the paramount figure commanding this post, Sis Zigma, held the rank of grand commander over the Tusen Knights.

“But even assuming the documentation is flawless, will the Tusen Knights simply surrender governance of the entire territory to Leo brother without a fight?”

Decades had drifted past since the ultimate collapse of the Tungkhan nation.

The vast majority of the populace had long since wiped the nation known as Tungkhan from memory.

Even the current inhabitants occupying these territories found the title of Tungkhan entirely unfamiliar.

It remained highly uncertain whether an ancient royal line returning to such a domain would be greeted with open arms and immediately placed upon the throne.

“Grandfather mentioned that the ancient heritage of Tungkhan buried here in Retin can only be claimed by a claimant who meets the criteria. He noted that the Tusen Knights are in desperate pursuit of that specific heritage to unlock their ultimate capabilities.”

“I see. But what exactly does that heritage entail?”

“The sacred favor of the Primordial Essence of Flame, Ista, who commands the Essence of Purity.”

“Now that I recall, wasn’t the original monarch who established Tungkhan a bound contractor to the Essence of Purity?”

Retin was recorded as the origin point for the Primordial Essence of Flame of this era, alongside Ista, the Essence of Purity, and had existed as an active volcanic peak in the distant past.

However, the Monarch of the Abyss from Tartaros launched an assault against this domain with the sole intent of extinguishing the Essence of Purity.

During that crisis, Tungkhan’s first king stood shoulder to shoulder with Ista as her chosen contractor.

Throughout the course of that conflict, the entirety of the volcanic reservoir’s energy was drained, transforming Retin into a dormant peak.

Chronicles state that the Monarch of the Abyss ultimately retreated without fulfilling his objectives.

“Is it true that the first king of Tungkhan, having depleted his life force in that cataclysmic struggle, perished, and Ista, in gratitude, granted eternal favor to the Tungkhan royal lineage?”

Celia locked her arms across her chest.

The Tusen Knights had originally existed as a legendary order of warriors whose influence stretched across the entire continent.

Yet by the current era, their reach had diminished drastically, leaving them capable of overseeing only the immediate Resentung territory.

The primary catalyst for this decline was the total disappearance of the Tungkhan sovereign line.

Chelsea directed a question toward Celia.

“By the way, does meeting the criteria center entirely around blood inheritance?”

“Given that we are dealing with a Primordial Essence, he indicated that blood inheritance alone would likely fall short. There will undoubtedly be an ordeal to face.”

“Leo brother would breeze through absolutely any ordeal put before him, though!”

Chelsea let out a proud giggle.

If the individual in question was Leo, the Champion of the Dawn, even an ancient Primordial Essence wouldn’t possess the grounds to deny him recognition.

Catching Chelsea’s statement, Aty whispered in a tone meant strictly for Leo’s ears.

-Ista is widely renowned for possessing an incredibly volatile temperament, meaning this will be no simple task, Master.

As an entity like Aty, who had witnessed the very birth of the Rhodren Empire, she possessed deep familiarity regarding the Primordial Essence anchored in the adjacent territory.

-Should Leo fail to satisfy that particular entity, our path forward could become rather complicated.

As Elsie offered her anxious commentary, Laruel, the most ancient active Primordial Essence in existence, let out a dismissive snort.

-What right does it possess to turn away Lord Leo? Should it display resistance, we shall simply break its resolve by force.

-Br-break its resolve…! Laruel! Would you truly do such a thing for me? Oh my! Oh my!

Aty displayed an incredibly animated reaction to those intense words.

Right at that split second, Leo, who had remained focused on the informational guide, spoke up.

“This particular destination is widely recognized for its geothermal sanctuaries.”

Hearing the sudden comment, Celia tilted her head in curiosity.

“Naturally. That feature is precisely why this urban center is celebrated as a prime vacation spot.”

Leo shifted his eyes upward, glancing off to his right side.

The retainers from House Gerdinger, who had journeyed along to provide assistance to Leo and Celia, occupied a row of nearby seats.

Leo redirected his gaze, scanning the area to his left this time.

In an identical arrangement, individuals representing House Lewellen sat ready to assist Chelsea and Abbad.

Leo sat positioned perfectly at the center of the two factions.

“We shall make our way to the central administrative hall tomorrow morning.”

“Pardon? In that case, how shall we occupy ourselves first?”

Leo directed a subtle grin toward Celia, whose expression was a mix of confusion.

“We explore the city.”