Legendary Hero is an Academy Honors Student - Chapter 596

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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596.

 

Leo was unpacking his belongings in his room at the Jerdinger Family’s mansion.

 

Knock knock-

 

“Come in.”

 

Creak-

 

The door opened and Selia entered.

 

Selia, with her brows deeply furrowed, sat on the sofa in one corner of the room.

 

And she looked across the table.

 

“What are you doing?”

 

“Playing Old Maid.”

 

Fiora, the Phoenix who had made a pact with Leo, was in human form and glaring at Kirran sitting at the table with extremely serious eyes.

 

-Yawn~ Where did that chick playing Old Maid go?

 

“Be quiet, moth.”

 

Zzt- Fiora glared at Kirran.

 

It seemed the stakes were snacks.

 

‘What? A Phoenix and a Fairy gambling over snacks?’

 

Watching this scene, Selia made an expression of disbelief.

 

On the table, not only Kirran but also Elsi the shadow fairy and Larel the light fairy were watching the spectacle.

 

The two fairies had apparently already finished their game and were holding cookies as big as their heads in both hands, munching away – crunch- crunch-.

 

Fiora, who had been glaring murderously at cards larger than Kirran’s body, carefully grabbed one of the two jokers in Kirran’s hand.

 

“Huuuugh!”

 

-Wahahahaha!

 

Kirran burst into laughter watching the despairing Fiora.

 

Meanwhile, the shape of the cards changed.

 

Seeing this, Selia’s eyes narrowed.

 

-My turn!

 

Kirran, with a triumphant expression, took one of the cards that Fiora had shuffled diligently.

 

“Ah, no!”

 

-I won!

 

Kirran cheered and threw the cards up in the air while Fiora clutched her head in frustration.

 

-With this, these snacks are mine…

 

“You shouldn’t cheat.”

 

At Selia’s words, Fiora raised her head and the two fairies looked at Selia with puzzled eyes.

 

Kirran, who had been gathering the snacks, glanced around nervously, then hugged an armful to his chest and flew away.

 

-Aha. I wondered why Kirran never came in last place. So it was cheating!

 

Elsi smiled brightly as if she finally understood.

 

She didn’t seem particularly angry about Kirran’s trickery.

 

Of course, the other two were different.

 

“Cheating moth! Stop right there!”

 

-I’ll twist your limbs off!

 

Fiora and Larel lit fires in their eyes and chased after Kirran.

 

Watching this scene, Selia clutched her head.

 

“For some reason, I feel like my image of the Great Spirits and the Three Divine Beasts is being shattered.”

 

Leo, who had roughly finished unpacking, sat in Fiora’s former spot.

 

“What’s got you looking so dissatisfied?”

 

“I don’t like the Council of Elders’ attitude.”

 

Selia frowned.

 

Selia also knew that not everyone in Jerdinger welcomed Leo.

 

The twin pillars of the Rodren Empire, which could be called the hegemon of the Western Continent.

 

In other words, they were a group with power ranking in the top three in the western continent.

 

Though they were subjects of the Empire, their relationship was quite different from the typical lord-vassal relationship.

 

It was closer to a partnership rather than a relationship of absolute loyalty.

 

In fact, from the founding, Rodren, Jerdinger, and Rwallin had been allies helping each other.

 

As a result, the Rodren Imperial Family recognized the independence of Jerdinger’s territory.

 

In other words, in Jerdinger’s lands, the head of Jerdinger was essentially king.

 

To maintain such power, the direct bloodline and their vassal families alone were insufficient.

 

The branch families that had split off from Jerdinger also formed one pillar of Jerdinger’s power.

 

As such, the influence wielded by branch families within the house was not small.

 

“From the branch families’ perspective, I’m just a rolling stone that happened to roll in, right?”

 

Leo chuckled.

 

“Even so, that’s too much! What you’re inheriting was originally meant for Aunt! It’s just returning to its rightful owner, so why are they so displeased?”

 

“Human psychology naturally dislikes giving up what they have. It’s even more painful when someone else takes what might have become yours.”

 

The Council of Elders was a group composed of knights of Jerdinger blood with high reputation, regardless of direct or branch lineage.

 

For a massive renowned hero family like Jerdinger, operating with only the direct line had its limits.

 

When the family head made wrong choices.

 

A force was needed to check the family head’s arbitrary rule, and Jerdinger’s Council of Elders was created for that reason.

 

Since branch families outnumbered the direct line, the Council naturally came to be dominated by branch family voices.

 

Of course, the Council couldn’t directly intervene in family management.

 

But when it came to inheritance matters, their voice was powerful.

 

“Grandfather is so indifferent. I was hoping he’d actively take Aunt’s and your side, at least this time.”

 

Selia pouted.

 

Watching such Selia, Leo tilted his head.

 

“He didn’t seem to have a bad relationship with Mother?”

 

Leo recalled the earlier events.

 

“He was friendly to Father too.”

 

‘I really wanted to meet you. Let’s have a drink together at dinner later.’

 

‘It, it’s an honor. Former family head.’

 

‘Call me father-in-law.’

 

He remembered Regas laughing heartily and patting Daid’s shoulder.

 

Since Leo’s birth, Raina had never once visited her family home.

 

‘No, it was probably like that even before I was born.’

 

She probably only contacted Jerdinger after leaving the family because of Leo.

 

For her son who wanted to enter Lumern.

 

For having no contact for so long, Regas’s eyes looking at Raina were full of affection.

 

He was also kind to his son-in-law whom he was meeting for the first time.

 

His eyes looking at Leo also showed pride.

 

‘The father-daughter relationship didn’t just seem not bad, it looked very good.’

 

It was strange that they hadn’t seen each other for so many years.

 

Moreover, he couldn’t understand why they had sent knights as if to check them during the Flobe Family’s first official visit, following the Council’s wishes.

 

At Leo’s reaction, Selia sighed softly.

 

“Grandfather is thoroughly neutral.”

 

“Neutral?”

 

“Yes.”

 

Selia rested her chin on her hand.

 

-Move! Move!

 

Just then, Kirran, who had been fleeing from Fiora and Larel, flew between Leo and Selia.

 

Elsi, who had been watching this, smiled mischievously and raised her hand.

 

Grab-!

 

“Gack?”

 

Suddenly, the shadows of surrounding objects caught Kirran.

 

“Got you! You scammer fairy!”

 

-Let’s pluck his wings first!

 

-Hiiiiek?

 

-You can’t disturb Leo when he’s talking about something important. Go outside and do it.

 

When Elsi said this with a smile, Phoenix and the Great Spirit of Light took the fairy and went out to the terrace.

 

‘Who on earth is that spirit to handle those guys so well.’

 

Selia, who knew Elsi was a great spirit but didn’t know exactly who she was, looked at Elsi with curiosity.

 

Elsi greeted Selia by slightly lifting the hem of her skirt.

 

“You won’t be bored either.”

 

“It’s too noisy, giving me a headache.”

 

Selia burst into laughter at Leo’s words.

 

“Continuing from what I was saying earlier. Grandfather maintains neutrality in all family matters as the Supreme Elder. He also maintains neutrality in the Elder Council to mediate between the direct and branch lines. That’s why he sets aside personal feelings as much as possible.”

 

Selia let out a small sigh.

 

“That doesn’t mean he dislikes you or anything. You could see that yourself. He still loves Aunt and wanted to keep meeting Uncle and you too.”

 

Even though Leo had visited Jerdinger several times, the reason he didn’t meet Leo was probably to strictly maintain the separation between public and private matters.

 

In a situation where Leo might or might not gain qualification as Jerdinger’s direct heir, if the former family head intervened, it wouldn’t look good from the branch family’s perspective.

 

“He especially wanted to meet you a lot. Grandfather’s daily routine these days is waking up in the morning and looking for newspapers.”

 

“Newspapers?”

 

“Yes. Father told me he’s been collecting and scrapbooking all articles related to you.”

 

Of course, the same goes for articles about Selia.

 

“He was incredibly excited about being able to meet your family this time.”

 

“He’s quite the doting grandfather.”

 

“Very much so.”

 

Selia smiled gently.

 

Then she immediately pouted.

 

“Then he should be more proactive in taking care of you!”

 

“He has his position as Supreme Elder. I understand.”

 

Leo chuckled.

 

At those words, Selia smiled brightly.

 

“If you understand, then spend time with Grandfather during this vacation! Show him some cute antics too!”

 

“You’re the one who should be showing cute antics.”

 

“I’ve already shown plenty?”

 

“Show more.”

 

“You!”

 

Leo easily dodged Selia’s attack as she lunged at him indignantly, then made a puzzled expression.

 

“But wasn’t there a Lumern student among the branch bloodline? What was his name?”

 

Seeing Leo tilt his head in confusion, Selia made an exasperated expression.

 

“How can you not remember the name of someone from the same family? It’s Barden Jerdinger.”

 

“Ah, was that his name? What happened to him?”

 

“…He was expelled in the first semester this year.”

 

“Really? I wondered why I hadn’t seen him around.”

 

Selia looked dumbfounded.

 

“What about Brother Ris?”

 

“Brother Ris went to suppress the eastern rebellion.”

 

Selia sighed.

 

A rebellion had broken out in the eastern part of the Rodren Empire a few months ago.

 

A sudden rebellion.

 

It would have made sense if the Empire had demanded tyranny or excessive tax rates.

 

But that wasn’t the case.

 

“Brother Ris didn’t need to step in for a small rebellion, but… there were several suspicious points, so the Imperial family dispatched Brother Ris.”

 

“I hope nothing serious happens.”

 

“Of course nothing will happen! It’s Brother Ris!”

 

Selia puffed out her chest with a proud expression.

 

“Don’t worry about Brother Ris and worry about yourself instead. The Elder Council will come at you with fire in their eyes, trying to reduce what you’ll receive somehow.”

 

Leo chuckled at Selia’s words.

 

“Don’t worry about that.”

 

Leo clenched and unclenched his fist.

 

“Actually, I didn’t really care much whether I got a lot of territory or not. So I was trying to avoid major friction if possible. But seeing what they did to Father and Mother, I realized that won’t work.”

 

Leo curled up the corners of his mouth.

 

Seeing that expression, Selia felt goosebumps all over her body.

 

‘Ah, right.’

 

She suddenly remembered how he had made her work as a maid when they first met.

 

‘This guy had a bad personality, didn’t he?’

 

He thoroughly punishes anyone who picks a fight with him first.

 

She had forgotten that fact.

 

***

 

“Lord Ris! A rebel cavalry unit has been spotted ahead.”

 

Ris, who had arrived in the rebel-occupied region in the east with the Jerdinger Knights, stood up upon hearing the news from the messenger.

 

“I’ll go alone.”

 

“Pardon? But…”

 

“Are you worried?”

 

When Ris asked with a slight smile, the knight flinched and shook his head.

 

“Not at all.”

 

The opponent was the future master who would lead Rodren’s strongest knight order.

 

Moreover, he was the former student council president of Lumern.

 

He was even a remarkable knight who had been active when the Erebos fragment was revived last summer.

 

A man who had achieved feats worthy of being called a hero.

 

A rebel cavalry unit was no match for him.

 

Ris stepped out alone onto the vast grassland and headed forward without drawing his sword.

 

‘First, I should subdue them without fighting.’

 

Ris had come to suppress the rebellion, but he hadn’t come to kill all the rebels.

 

In fact, every country has factions that harbor dissatisfaction with the state.

 

The current Emperor of Rodren is excellent.

 

But that doesn’t mean all subjects and citizens have reason to follow the Emperor.

 

Depending on interests, anti-Emperor political enemies emerge among the imperial nobles, and there are bound to be people among the citizens who curse the Emperor.

 

Therefore, small-scale rebellions occur frequently.

 

‘But this rebellion is definitely strange.’

 

It was just a rebellion on the scale of a small territory.

 

That rebellion had been continuing for months without growing larger or smaller.

 

As soon as the lords of neighboring territories who had gone to stop the rebellion under the Emperor’s orders reported their suppression, another rebellion broke out.

 

‘The lord who started the rebellion died early in the rebellion.’

 

Yet the residents of the surrounding area continued to rebel.

 

‘A rebellion without a head.’

 

It was too strange.

 

The Imperial family also felt something was off.

 

That’s why they requested Jerdinger, who had territory in the east, to suppress the rebellion.

 

‘First, let’s find out why the rebellion is happening.’

 

For that, he needed people who would talk.

 

Even if they were rebels, there was no need to kill them.

 

The story would have been different if they were bandits who plundered other territories or killed civilians.

 

At the very least, judging by their actions so far, these were people who had something to say and were forced to take up arms.

 

In that case, he just needed to make them lose their fighting spirit through an overwhelming difference in power.

 

Thud thud thud thud-!

 

In the distance, the rebel cavalry charged forward.

 

‘Their posture on horseback and how they hold their weapons looks awkward. These aren’t cavalry who received proper training.’

 

Thinking this, Ris raised his hand.

 

Whoooosh-!

 

Jerdinger’s crimson flames soared upward.

 

At that moment.

 

“Hiiiiiiek!”

 

“A, a demon! It’s demon flames!”

 

“The Empire has sent someone who uses demon flames to massacre us again!”

 

The cavalry charging at Ris fell into panic and began scattering in all directions.

 

Seeing this, Ris extinguished his flames and furrowed his brow.

 

“Demon flames? And again?”

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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