Chapter 608

Within a spacious administrative office that overlooked the manicured greenery of the municipal complex, a mature gentleman was focused on a stack of state paperwork.

A sharp rap sounded at the entrance.

The heavy door parted, and a uniformed guard stepped inside.

“Commander.”

“State your business.”

“An unexpected visitor has arrived, sir.”

“Curious. I received no prior notification from Rodren regarding an official delegation.”

The official, Sis, offered his reply without lifting his gaze from the documents before him.

The guard clarified the situation.

“They do not represent the Rodren government.”

Hearing this, Sis’s pen came to a sudden halt.

He clicked his tongue in mild annoyance before delivering his instructions.

“Turn them away.”

This man was Sis Zigma.

He held supreme command over the Tusen Knights, the military order that effectively governed the entire Resentung region.

Renowned across the lands by his martial title, the Crimson Wave, he was widely regarded by neighboring territories as the true sovereign of Resentung.

Owing to the proximity of the northern wastes, the Resentung territory endured bitterly cold winters.

However, during the spring, summer, and autumn months, the environment remained remarkably temperate and warm, a blessing attributed to the ancient fire spirits that inhabited the land.

Furthermore, the topography consisted largely of vast, fertile lowlands, cementing its reputation as the premier breadbasket of the western continent where agriculture flourished.

Because it was a domain long blessed by a primordial fire entity, the earth yielded exceptionally high-grade spirit stones.

Consequently, a multitude of foreign realms constantly sought to establish commercial ties with the Resentung region.

Despite this global interest, the Tusen Knights maintained strict, exclusive diplomatic relations with the Rodren Empire.

The roots of this policy traced back several decades.

During that era, the Tungkon Kingdom fell victim to a massive, devastating onslaught launched by the forces of Tartaros, while the majority of Tungkon’s sovereign neighbors simply watched its destruction from afar.

These neighboring states chose inaction to safeguard their own borders, terrified by the unprecedented magnitude of the Tartaros invasion.

Additionally, they felt justified in denying the kingdom’s pleas for assistance because the Rodren Empire—the dominant superpower of the western hemisphere—had already deployed a substantial force of legendary warriors and battalions to the front lines.

Though the relentless advance of Tartaros was ultimately halted, the conflict claimed the lives of the entire Tungkon royal lineage, leaving any potential survivors completely unaccounted for.

Shattered by the immense devastation, the Tungkon Kingdom naturally collapsed, its name fading into historical archives.

In the wake of this tragedy, the Tusen Knights assumed the mantle of Tungkon’s remaining heritage and severed all diplomatic contact with the former allied nations that had abandoned them in their darkest hour.

Noticing the sharp edge in Sis’s dismissal, the guard hastened to clarify the misunderstanding.

“They are not diplomats from the boycotting nations, sir. These travelers hail from Rodren. It is an unannounced personal visit, not a formal state embassy.”

“Oh?”

“Members of the Gerdinger and Rwallyn houses have requested an audience.”

“Gerdinger and Rwallyn, you say?”

Setting his paperwork aside, Sis rose from his grand desk.

He paced across the room to the expansive glass window and peered down at the courtyard below.

Observing the four young individuals standing at the front of the gathering, a look of recognition crossed his features.

“They certainly match the descriptions.”

“Indeed, sir. That is Leo Flobe, who currently serves as the student council president at Rumern. Accompanying him are Celia Gerdinger, Abard Rwallyn, and Chelsea Rwallyn, all belonging to the same academic class.”

“Ah, yes. The very youth who have been causing such a sensation throughout the continent lately,” Sis remarked with a nod.

“In that case, it is only proper that I receive them personally.”

Upon declaring their lineage, Leo and his companions were promptly escorted into the estate’s formal reception hall.

“I was under the impression that the Tusen Knights held a deep-seated reservation toward foreign aristocrats. It is quite a relief that we managed an audience with the Crimson Wave so easily.”

“The Empire and the Tusen Knights have maintained an enduring alliance for years. Even so, given the spontaneous nature of our arrival, I anticipated a lengthy bureaucratic delay before seeing Sir Sis. I certainly did not expect him to grant us an immediate audience.”

The Tusen Knights held absolute dominion over the Resentung region.

The grand commander of such an organization functioned as the highest governing authority in the territory.

Furthermore, Sis had achieved renown as a legendary hero.

As the absolute master of the prosperous Resentung region, he wielded power and respect equivalent to that of a sovereign monarch.

Even though direct heirs of the prestigious Gerdinger and Rwallyn families had arrived, a surprise visit of this nature would normally dictate a rigorous vetting process before an audience could be granted.

Yet, they had been admitted without a moment’s delay.

“Considering the weight of his responsibilities, this is quite surprising,” Celia remarked, her tone tinged with bewilderment.

Hearing her comment, the veteran knight stationed near the chamber entrance offered a gentle smile.

“The exception was made entirely because our guests are Sir Leo and Lady Celia.”

“The two of us?”

“Precisely. The late patriarch of the Gerdinger family provided boundless financial and material aid to accelerate the reconstruction of the Resentung region after it was brought to ruin by the Tartaros invasion.”

“My grandfather did that?”

“He did. Even as he funded the revitalization of the Resentung territory, he steadfastly refused any form of compensation. When Tusen later attempted to return the favor, he declined without hesitation. Furthermore, he chose never to register or publicize the immense support he gave to our lands.”

The veteran knight’s gaze shone with profound admiration as he spoke.

Legas’s decision to commit such immense resources to rebuilding the Resentung region was undoubtedly inspired by his deep bond with his wife, Nyla.

Yet, regardless of marital devotion, it remains an extraordinary sacrifice for a clan leader to deplete family coffers for outsiders without expecting a return.

Particularly when one commands such vast influence.

‘Reflecting on it now, my grandfather left behind almost no personal wealth or private estates.’

Even the supreme head of a noble house cannot manipulate family assets entirely at a whim.

Consequently, patriarchs typically establish independent funds for personal use.

For the leader of a premier heroic lineage like Gerdinger, such private fortunes naturally grow to immense proportions over time.

Yet Legas possessed nothing of the sort.

The mystery was now solved; he had quietly funneled those personal fortunes into the restoration of the Resentung region.

Listening to the explanation, Leo murmured softly, “He truly embodied the soul of a true knight.”

“What? Well, naturally, my grandfather was an unparalleled warrior. As the former leader of Gerdinger, the premier martial family, it goes without saying that—”

“That is not quite what I meant,” Leo interrupted with a soft chuckle, cutting off Celia’s proud response. “I mean that he carried the genuine, uncorrupted ideals of the ancient vanguard.”

A noble, virtuous spirit that unhesitatingly endures hardship for the defenseless and stands firm against wickedness.

He was, in the truest sense, the manifestation of an honorable guardian.

There exist certain intangible virtues in this world that far outweigh material land or hoarded gold.

The true descendants of the Gerdinger line understood this truth better than anyone.

‘I suppose that enduring philosophy is precisely why they are revered as the ultimate knightly house.’

Spurred by Leo’s sentiment, Celia tilted her chin upward with pride. “Naturally. He is my grandfather, after all.”

As Leo smiled at her displays of family pride, the heavy doors of the reception hall swung open to admit a middle-aged gentleman.

The newcomer’s stern countenance immediately evoked the image of an unyielding magistrate who placed adherence to law above all else.

Leo studied the man intently for a brief moment before assessing him internally.

‘A Spirit Knight. A tremendously capable one.’

The man exuded the oppressive, weighty presence typical of a hardened commander who had survived a hundred desperate battlefields.

His latent power was easily on par with the legendary figures Leo had encountered throughout his journeys.

‘So this is Sis Zigma, the supreme commander of Tusen.’

Leo observed Sis in contemplative silence.

Upon entering the room, Sis immediately locked eyes with Leo.

More precisely, his gaze shifted back and forth between Leo and Celia.

For a fraction of a second, those stern, unyielding eyes flickered with visible emotion.

The attending guards within the chamber snapped to attention, saluting their commander.

“Leave us. I wish to speak with our visitors in private.”

Though caught off guard by the abrupt command, the guards obeyed instantly, filing out of the reception room without a word.

Throughout this brief exchange, Sis never broke his intense scrutiny of Leo and Celia.

After a tense silence, Sis finally spoke.

“The sorcerers of Rwallyn…”

“They are trusted companions. You may speak openly in their presence,” Leo assured him.

Leo had already shared the broader context of their quest with Chelsea and Abard beforehand.

Sis gave a formal nod of acknowledgment.

“Then I shall speak without evasion,” Sis stated, keeping his sharp gaze anchored on Leo.

“What tie binds you to the royal lineage of the Tungkon Kingdom?”

The question caught Leo slightly off guard, and Celia likewise showed a flash of astonishment.

Sis looked at both of them as he elaborated.

“My house, the Zigma family, served as devoted vassals to the Tungkon crown for generations. I myself had the honor of catching a glimpse of the royal family just once during my youth, shortly before the kingdom collapsed. Because of that, a faint impression of their features remains etched in my mind.”

Decades ago, the catastrophic invasion by Tartaros obliterated nearly all historical records pertaining to the Tungkon Kingdom.

The sparse remnants were preserved within the royal palace archives, but that entire structure currently remains sealed away from the world.

No official likenesses or lineages survived the ruin.

Furthermore, since no ancestral relics remained accessible, evoking a Hero Record was impossible.

Consequently, the physical traits of the Tungkon sovereigns existed solely within the fading recollections of the aging survivors who had seen them before the entire royal line vanished.

Sis was one of the few living links to that past.

“When I chanced upon illustrations of the Gerdinger heirs in public journals, the connection eluded me… but standing before you now, my memories are brought into stark clarity. Celia Gerdinger, your physical features bear an uncanny resemblance to the lost princesses of the realm.”

‘My grandfather and father always mentioned that I inherited my grandmother’s exact likeness,’ Celia recalled silently.

“And you, Leo Flobe.”

Sis turned his full attention to the young man.

“The shade of your hair perfectly matches the distinct coloration unique to the Tungkon sovereigns I observed all those years ago.”

When reviewing global news printings, the monochrome photographs made it impossible to discern exact shades.

The public only knew his hair was white.

However, seeing him in person, Leo’s hair possessed the exact, distinct luster of the Tungkon royal house that Sis remembered so vividly.

Prompted by the observation, Leo lightly ran a hand through his locks.

‘My grandmother, Nyla Gerdinger, systematically altered her natural hair color after her marriage to my grandfather Legas to fit her role as the matriarch of Gerdinger, didn’t she?’

It was a trait completely absent from either the paternal Flobe line or the maternal Gerdinger line, which had always struck him as anomalous, but it appeared he had inherited this legacy from her secret ancestry.

“I demand to know the truth once more. What is your true connection to the Tungkon royal bloodline?”

As Sis pressed for answers, Celia cast a glance toward Leo, prompting him to speak.

“My grandmother, Nyla Gerdinger—the late wife of the previous Gerdinger patriarch, Legas Gerdinger—was born under the true identity of Princess Lena Tungkon.”

Hearing the revelation, Sis visibly shuddered.

“Princess Lena?”

Leo produced the confidential records Legas had entrusted to him and handed them across.

Sis let out a sharp breath as he verified the contents.

Contained alongside the documents was an ancient artifact fashioned as a pendant.

A vibrant crimson spirit stone was mounted at the center of the geometric setting, and the unmistakable royal emblem of Tungkon was precisely engraved into the gemstone’s surface.

Legas Gerdinger had quietly funded the revitalization of the ruined Resentung lands for decades, asking nothing in return.

In gratitude for that monumental salvation, the Tusen Knights had once offered to pledge their blades entirely to the Gerdinger name, but Legas had steadfastly declined.

Sis finally understood the hidden motive behind the late patriarch’s actions.

“Why… I… Tusen… if you only knew how desperately the survivors of Tungkon sought any sign of the royal bloodline…”

Among the younger generation, the very memory of the Tungkon name had turned to dust.

There remained no monuments to preserve the kingdom’s memory.

The forces of Tartaros had systematically incinerated every cultural trace of Tungkon across the Resentung territory.

The sole surviving monument was the locked royal palace.

A history denied written records is swiftly eroded by time.

Even if elders wished to pass down the heritage, doing so effectively without texts proved impossible.

In much the same way, even the foundational hero who originally preserved existence had been utterly erased from common lore.

Yet the citizens who lived through the sovereignty of the old kingdom still harbored those memories.

They remembered a royal line that willingly suffered hardships to shield their people.

They remembered the tireless labor and dedication poured into forging a prosperous nation.

“My grandmother… spent her entire life burdened by a profound remorse for her inability to safeguard her people. She felt a personal accountability for the fall of her homeland and the immense loss of life that accompanied it. As the solitary survivor of her house, she believed she possessed no right to govern those she had failed to protect. She often remarked that if the inhabitants of these lands could find peace and prosperity, that alone would bring her contentment.”

“Ah… how could her highness bear such an agonizing burden alone?”

Sis, who had spent decades scouring the lands for a royal survivor before ultimately abandoning hope, was overwhelmed with bittersweet sorrow.

He had never imagined that the legitimate lineage of his sovereigns had been thriving so close to home all along.

After lowering his gaze to let his tears flow silently, Sis eventually composed himself and looked up.

His countenance was now hardened with unyielding determination.

“The time has come for this realm to be restored to its legitimate rulers.”

Sis fixed his intense gaze upon Leo and Celia.

“Which of you shall assume the crown?”

At that question, Celia directed her gaze squarely at her companion.

“The crown belongs to Sir Leo Flobe.”

Sis gave an immediate nod of agreement.

“I shall initiate the coronation arrangements without delay! We shall see you ascend the throne by tomorrow morning!”

Celia gasped in pure astonishment.

“Tomorrow?”

“Indeed! Resentung has languished without its rightful sovereign for far too long! Now that the true heir has returned, we must finalize the ascension tomorrow and announce the restoration to the entire world!”

“But surely a state event requires extensive preparation? Orchestrating a royal coronation within a single day is logistically impossible.”

“Nothing is impossible under my command!”

‘This man… he projected such a calculating, rational demeanor just moments ago, so why is he suddenly making such wild, impulsive demands?’ Celia thought, utterly bewildered by the transformation.

Observing Sis’s sudden fervor, Leo was reminded of a familiar figure from his past.

‘He acts exactly like Defecer.’

Defecer.

The mighty Gold Dragon who once pledged his loyalty to Lysinass.

He was the very creature entrusted with managing the intricate governance of Gadstron.

While typically characterized by flawless precision, his composure would completely unravel whenever matters directly concerned the legendary champion.

Sis’s current expression and uncharacteristic recklessness mirrored the behavior of that ancient companion who had perished long ago.

Unable to contain his amusement, Leo let out a soft laugh and intervened.

“Let us proceed with due deliberation. Before we address the throne, however…”

“Yes, Your Highness. Command me,” Sis responded instantly, unconsciously adopting a tone of deep deference.

‘The Tungkon monarchs must have truly been exceptional rulers to inspire such absolute devotion,’ Leo mused, noting how the commander’s entire demeanor transformed solely based on his lineage.

“I require an audience with the Spirit of Purification.”

Within the ancient city where the true legacy of the Gerdinger clan lay rooted.

Payon.

A significant amount of time had passed since Raina last strolled through the familiar avenues of her ancestral home alongside her spouse.

“This city remains beautifully unchanged.”

Observing the genuine delight brightening Raina’s features, Daed voiced his lingering concerns.

“Raina, are you certain you are not overexerting yourself?”

“Of course I am fine. Breathing the fresh air during a walk like this fills me with renewed energy, so there is no need for worry, is there?” Raina replied with a gentle smile.

The attending servants of the Flobe household hovered nearby, visibly anxious over their mistress’s delicate constitution.

“My lady, allow me to fetch a heated beverage for you.”

“Lady Raina, the air is turning brisk. Please permit me to assist you with your gloves.”

“Hehe, you are all very kind. But I assure you I am perfectly comfortable, so please do not distress yourselves.”

Allowing a soft chuckle to escape her lips, Raina then released a quiet, melancholy sigh.

“I truly wished to journey to Letin alongside the children.”

“We can easily plan that journey once your strength has fully returned,” Daed reassured her gently.

“I suppose so.”

In response to Daed’s comforting words, Raina’s bright smile suddenly vanished, and she came to a dead halt.

“Raina?”

Daed’s expression twisted with immediate alarm.

Raina pressed a hand firmly against the right side of her chest, her posture collapsing forward as pain racked her body.

“Raina!”

“Heavens! My lady!”

Daed and the frantic attendants rushed forward to support her failing strength.

“Oh, so you managed to survive after all?”

As the mocking voice echoed from the path directly ahead, an icy dread gripped Raina’s soul.

Lifting her eyes with immense effort, her gaze met an ominous, dancing radiance.

An intense burst of heat erupted—

A manifestation of fire that she recognized instantly.

‘My own flame?’

“What a exquisite pleasure to cross paths with a target that slipped through my fingers so long ago.”