Chapter 636: When The Problem Arrived...
Chapter 636: When The Problem Arrived...
James stared at Leo for a long time before realizing he couldn’t sense his strength at all. He promptly looked towards Lily and realized she was already at Peak 2-star personal strength, just like him.
"Leo... don’t tell me you have crossed the strength of Mid 3-star." James was shocked, because that was the most probable possibility. Since he himself was a Peak 2-star, he was capable of sensing other people’s strength up to Low 3-star and, in rare cases, even Mid 3-star if the person in question had just crossed over.
Other people were still having a hard time pulling their eyes away from the rectangular metal box.
"No, that’s not quite right." Leo turned towards Vritti.
"Seeing how scared this man looks, I bet Alric might have already informed him of everything. Why doesn’t he reveal things?"
"Alric?" James frowned.
"Isn’t that your son that you bragged about after the academy selection?" James turned towards him.
Vritti was left in a momentary daze, having a hard time shifting his focus between the questions being asked of him and the gleaming pile of gold in front of him. But he soon collected himself.
"I—m-my son sent me a letter talking about M-Mr. Leo exerting 5-star strength and even being ranked 1st in the whole academy, and Lil—Miss Lily being the 3rd-ranked student in the academy."
Leo raised his brow when he saw the man addressing him with such respect. Even Lily, who was his great-granddaughter, was being addressed as Miss.
James’s eyes widened like an inflating balloon. The news was so shocking that Vintage felt his old heart might have a heart attack from the shock he was subjected to.
"This... how is the world...?" James muttered.
Leo smiled.
"That’s why I said there’s nothing to worry about, Brother James. Now nobody will pressure you. Matter of fact, the strength that you are sensing from Lily is actually suppressed by a person from the academy because of our recent demon extermination mission. She too is actually a High 4-star individual."
James’s shocked expression gradually turned into one of extreme happiness.
"That’s such big news! Why didn’t you talk about it in the letter you sent us?!"
"Haha, tell me, was it not worth it to know it firsthand?" Leo said while extending his hand for a dab.
James also extended his hand.
Thap!
Their dab made a loud clap.
"This is the most great and worthwhile news I am hearing after a long time!" James’s eyes showed genuine happiness, which made Leo proud of himself.
It was like impressing someone who could very well be considered a father figure in his two lives. Even if he had only been acquainted with James for a little more than a month, it was still a great feeling.
"In a long time? What was the previous great news?"
"Sera being pregnant, of course!"
"Hahaha!"
Both men laughed. It was as if all the stress accumulated over a long time had been washed away by a flash flood.
Now, those convoys could be thoroughly dealt with. Since James didn’t have much strength previously, nor the funds to reach a city—which was very far away—where Empire officials took complaints, he was trapped. But now, just the presence of Leo alone was enough to change the whole tide. And there were two such presences in the room, including Lily.
"Matter of fact, even Sylrael has a strength of Mid 4-star." Leo said while gesturing towards her.
"Mid 4-star!" James was once again pleasantly surprised.
"Elf?" Vintage muttered after finally taking a proper look at Sylrael.
Whereas Vritti’s eyes nearly popped out.
"An elf?!" He had never seen an elf in his life, and from the way his face looked, it seemed like his dying wish had been fulfilled.
After that, the environment around the castle became extremely light.
Vintage could never stop himself from thanking Leo and Lily whenever they came across each other for the 1000 Gold Coins in support they had given.
"Keep it as thanks for allowing common people—which me and Lily were also a part of one time—to somehow live through the tyrannical rule of Zerek. I know you had worked hard so that Zerek wouldn’t have squeezed everything out of our bones." Leo said something along those lines while also force-feeding Vintage some low-level natural treasures from the Ember family’s secret realm to boost his vitality, as well as trying to rank up his beast to Peak 2-star so that he could become eligible for the City Lord position after attaining the Baron rank.
As for the treasure excuse, Leo said it was compensation for taking away a capable City Lord from Kendru City.
Yes, James and Sera would be taken away by Leo and Lily.
While James was busy doing the procedures to step down from the City Lord position, Lily, Sera, and Sylrael were enjoying themselves. During that time, Sera got acquainted with Sylrael.
"This is the first time I am seeing and talking to an elf, and I couldn’t be more thankful that it was you. You are such a good and kind lady." Sera said. Sylrael alone had elevated the vision through which Sera looked at the race.
"Sister Sera, how long have you been carrying the baby?" Lily asked, a bit excited.
Sera seemed a bit shy talking about that, but she answered nonetheless.
"4 months."
"Wow..." Lily seemed very curious about everything that was happening to Sera. And just to make the company more enjoyable, she had Leo summon Niri as the girls spent their days discussing and enjoying things together. Niri didn’t allow them to have a single idle moment, especially when she recognized Sera as the same woman she had healed.
Just like that, 5 days passed.
Apparently, the convoy was once again supposed to come in the month of April, since 30 April was the last day of the ultimatum. But knowing them, James said they would arrive early. So Leo waited.
During that time, he even approached Gerald Riku, the manager of Beast & Blade Emporium.
Hearing Leo’s proposal and basic information about his territory, he immediately agreed as if he had been waiting for such an opportunity his whole life. He even said that he was ready to work himself to the bone if his mother’s safety was guaranteed.
Leo shook his hand with a smile.
"Don’t worry, the moment you step into my territory, I guarantee that your family, nor your father, can take you away."
Just like that, they had already secured 20 people from Kendru if the people working in Sera’s previous restaurant were counted. Leo had expected more to be there, thinking some workers might have family, but apparently, James only took in troubled people and those that had lost their support. So the number ended up a bit small.
This would also allow him to open a restaurant in the territory. And apparently, Sera’s cooking had became very good for some reason after Leo and Lily went away, so Leo knew it was guaranteed to be hit.
One afternoon, Leo was checking on Vintage’s beast when he felt a presence fly into the city.
17 April 500 AA