Night fell.
Outside the capital.
Leon and his group watched the distant sky as the commotion gradually died down, their hearts still racing with lingering fear.
“The battle is over...”
Miles let out a slow sigh of relief and spoke.
The moment Grand Duke Grant had fired that black-red beam, Miles had already rushed to Leon’s carriage to cast a protective divine art.
However, his divine art couldn't even hold for half a second. It was pierced by the black-red beam and shattered into nothingness before Leon even noticed it.
Fortunately, the legendary-rank mage Blaise was there. Otherwise, Miles would have had to watch helplessly as Priest Leon, the man he had sworn to protect, fell before his eyes.
Not far from Miles.
【Divine Art Casting Grade: Perfect!】
【Sacred Light Shield EXP +31】
【Hammer of Sacred Light EXP +31】
【Hand of Divine Art EXP +31】
【Sacred Light Shield Lv1 (47/100) → Sacred Light Shield Lv1 (78/100)】
【...】
Grant was indeed a powerhouse of the legendary rank. Just by witnessing two of Leon’s divine arts, he provided enough audience feedback for the panel to grant a 【Perfect】 rating.
“It’s a pity I didn’t get to cast a few more divine arts...”
Leon turned to look at Alicia, who was staring back at him intently, as if terrified that he might try another reckless stunt like provoking a legendary powerhouse.
But Leon wasn't stupid.
If he hadn't known that General Sophia and Minister Blaise were protecting him, why would he have actively provoked Grant?
If there had been no protection, the moment Grant appeared, he would have grabbed Alicia, Old Hunter, and the others and used the translocation divine art from the 【Red Fairy Tale】 to escape.
Though, Leon wasn't certain if the divine arts recorded in the 【Red Fairy Tale】 would allow him to successfully escape from a legendary-rank Grand Duke like Grant.
Leon shifted his gaze to Alicia’s waist. There had originally been a fire-steel dagger that he had given her, but she had thrown it earlier to block the black-red beam, and it had been instantly incinerated.
“Alicia, don't do something like that again.”
Leon instructed her in a gentle tone:
“When that black-red beam came, you shouldn't have rushed over to hug me. That would have only caused us both to perish.”
“If you encounter such an unstoppable enemy again, what you must do is use your techniques to leave immediately and spread the news of my danger so others can come to the rescue.”
However, in the face of Leon’s instructions, Alicia shook her head in a rare show of defiance.
“No, can't! I am, your, guard. Guard, cannot, run, away.”
Leon: “...”
I only pay you a few gold coins a month; is it worth risking your life like this?
“And...” Alicia saw the helplessness on Leon’s face and hesitated.
Leon looked at her. “And?”
“And, Priest Leon, you, are, my, last, friend, who, hasn't, died,” Alicia said with a serious expression.
“Can, not, abandon, friend.”
“I want, to protect, you.”
Hearing this, Leon suddenly laughed. He ruffled Alicia’s hair.
“It seems being your friend is a high-risk job.”
“But, I won't die that easily. You don't need to worry.”
Alicia didn't know why Leon was ruffling her hair, but seeing him say that, she felt relieved.
Then, Alicia looked at Old Hunter, who was watching the scene with a smile, and added:
“Hunter, Butler, you, are, my, half, a, friend.”
Old Hunter’s smile vanished, and he rolled his eyes.
“Then I really should thank you for not considering me a full friend. That way, I might actually live to a hundred.”
“No, need, to thank,” Alicia nodded in response.
Old Hunter rolled his eyes even harder.
...
Half an hour later.
Leon’s group arrived at a small town, intending to rest there.
Leon was doing fine; since he knew in advance that the Sage King had sent people to protect him, he wasn't too panicked.
But for the others, especially the Falcon Warband warriors protecting Leon, seeing the silhouette of a legendary-rank Blood Tribe Grand Duke in the sky was like the world ending.
What did it mean to be ordered to protect the young master on his way to a church post, only to encounter one of the world's legends halfway there?
When they felt the legendary-rank pressure radiating from Grant, if the Falcon Warband hadn't been so well-trained, cold sweat would have likely been dripping down their legs.
They found an inn in the town to rest. Early the next morning, Leon sent someone to buy a copy of the 《Imperial Truth》 daily newspaper, which he flipped through while eating breakfast.
“Unbearable! Heron Merchants Insulted in the Nightmare Empire!”
“Shocking! Imperial Capital Monastery Disciples Exposed Frequenters of Clubs, Leaving Without Paying! Is This the Distortion of Human Hearts or the Decay of Morality?”
“Racial Equality Office in Phibichubi City Trashed by Mobs! Vandal Claims: ‘I'm Trashing the Racial Equality Office Specifically!’”
“Vampire Extermination Association Places High-Priced Ad: ‘Admit It, You Simply Cannot Tolerate Those Grotesque Vampires; They Are Different From Us...’”
“...”
In the newspaper, there was nothing Leon was looking for.
With such a huge commotion yesterday, even the ordinary residents of this town had noticed it. Yet the 《Imperial Truth》 hadn't reported it?
What was that Sage King planning now?
“I feel like some major move is in the works...”
Leon thought to himself.
However, it had nothing to do with him.
Yesterday, two legends fought one Grand Duke Grant, with support from the capital’s thunder dragon. That Grand Duke Grant was definitely either dead or crippled; he wouldn't be coming after Leon again.
As for others, if they wanted to follow Grand Duke Grant’s example and try to nip him in the bud, they would have to weigh whether they could afford such a disastrous price.
True, there was no way to guard against a thief forever, but there was always the possibility of a thief being active for a thousand days.
But if that thief were caught and beaten to death on the spot, would other thieves still dare to try their hand after seeing that outcome?
“Only two life points left, just one last hit!”
Excited shouting suddenly erupted from another corner of the inn.
Leon looked toward the source of the noise and saw a crowd gathered in the corner, their eyes focused on two people sitting opposite each other.
On the wooden table before them were several beautifully illustrated cards, faintly shimmering under the dim yellow light of the oil lamp.
“Young Master, should I call the guards to make them be quiet...”
Before Old Hunter could finish, Leon raised a hand to stop him, stood up, and walked toward the crowd.
“I am the legendary Dragon Knight, King Arthur!!!”
A loud shout suddenly rang out from the corner.
A young man in coarse yellow clothes jumped up from his seat, one foot on the edge of the wooden table. He gestured wildly as he held a card high, then slammed it onto the table with excitement.
“I activate 【King Arthur】’s passive effect! Upon entering the field, subtract one life point from the enemy! Quick, quick, hide one of your blood drops!”
Opposite the youth in yellow, a youth dressed in green curled his lip and covered one cell of health on his 【Life Points card】.
“Haha! Only one drop of blood left! I say, Yabi, don't struggle anymore!” Seeing this, the youth in yellow couldn't help but laugh triumphantly, his fingers tapping rhythmically on the table.
“Look, I still have 7 life points, and you only have 1. Even if I give you another turn, can you burst me down?”
The onlookers nodded in agreement.
From the state of the game, the youth in yellow had a massive lead in life points and a superior hand.
The youth in green was down to his last drop of blood, and his resources were nearly exhausted.
To anyone watching, the outcome seemed to have no suspense left.
The game was decided.
However, while no one believed in the youth in green, he suddenly smirked. “Oh? Is that so?”
He pulled a 【Divine Art card】 from his hand and slammed it onto the table.
“Divine Art, Bemis's Storm! 5-cost, 5-damage area-of-effect attack!”
“And, trigger the special effect of 【Hero Card: Heart of Divine Art · Leon】—Heart of Divine Art!”
“Heart of Divine Art: While Leon Douglas is on the field, for every turn that passes, the effect of Divine Art cards increases by 1!”
“It’s already been 7 turns, so 5 plus 7 is 13 damage!”
The green-clad youth’s eyes shone. He slammed his palm onto the table, the force sending the yellow-clad youth’s 【Life Points card】 flying.
Immediately after, he pulled out a magic button he had won from a lottery when buying cards at the Coo Coo Guild and pressed it repeatedly.
“Well played!” “Sorry!” “Really, you almost won!” “Amazing, amazing!” “What a pity!”
With every press, a mechanical voice rang out from the magic button.
And with every mechanical voice he heard, the yellow-clad youth’s face grew redder and redder.
“You're cheating!” the yellow-clad youth shouted in anger. “Who the hell is Leon Douglas? I’ve never heard of such a person! Why is his card effect so ridiculous!”
“Heh, if you haven't heard of him, it only shows your ignorance.”
The green-clad youth wore a smug smile. He leisurely flipped the 【Character Card: Leon Douglas】 over to its back and began to read the introduction aloud:
“Leon Douglas, the second son of the Douglas Prime Minister family, praised by His Majesty as the ‘Hero who saved Soleneum.’ During the Imperial Capital priest examination...”
After reading, he looked up and scanned the surprised faces around him with a hint of boastfulness.
“His biography is written right here, clear as day! Blame yourselves for being ill-informed, not even knowing about a divine art genius like Priest Leon!”
However, despite his showing off, the shock on the townspeople's faces did not fade; instead, it became even more pronounced.
The yellow-clad youth sitting opposite him suddenly raised a hand, pointing tremblingly behind him.
“Be... behind you...”
“What about behind me?”
The green-clad youth turned his head in confusion.
Then, he saw the black-haired, black-eyed young man from the 【Character Card: Leon Douglas】 standing right in front of him, as if he had stepped straight out of the card.
The green-clad youth’s eyes instantly went wide.
“Leon Douglas?!!”
Rate on N.U.
