CHAPTER 160

Clatter—

The carriage bearing the blue lion insignia of the Weyl family began to move.

Following closely behind were the Blue Ram and Blue Horse knight orders, serving as escorts.

In response to the summons to suppress the rebellion in the Wynz frontier province, the Weyl family, having completed their internal preparations, had finally begun their march northward.

It was a march that heralded the revival of the Blue Lion.

As they passed through each village, the number of people gathering to watch the march continued to grow.

Herman's reputation had always been strong, but many had also come out to catch a glimpse of Elric Melvinger, who was said to be accompanying the Blue Lion on this journey.

The alliance between the Melvinger and Weyl families had left a deep impression on many, but there was something else that drew even more attention.

"Wow...! This is one grand march."

"I'll say. They say the Blue Lion is determined to wash away his disgrace this time. Guess that's why it's so elaborate."

"The knight orders are impressive, sure, but what's that at the back?"

"Yeah, they look like a bunch of beggars. Are they on some kind of pilgrimage?"

Following behind the official procession was a separate group that seemed entirely unrelated to the Weyl family.

Their appearances and attire were as varied as could be.

Some rode horses bearing noble crests, while others traveled in carriages in small groups of twos and threes.

Most of them, however, were walking quietly at the rear, their faces obscured by deep hoods. It was a sizable group of nearly 200 people.

"Hey, haven't you heard the rumors?"

"Heard what?"

"Star's Legion."

"Star's... what?"

"Tsk! You're really clueless."

"Oh, cut the attitude and just explain! What is it?"

"Ahem! Star's Legion refers to those who've fallen completely under the charm of the new rising star, Elric Melvinger, and now follow him."

"Huh?"

"They're called the Star's Legion after his grandfather, the Magus of Stars. It's a legion of followers, you see. Hence, Star's Legion."

"Ohhh!"

Elric was now regarded with such high esteem that comparisons were being drawn between him and the Three New Stars.

His recent exploits had been nothing short of extraordinary, and the rumors swirling around him were so mysterious that the media couldn't get enough of him.

This fame had fueled admiration for him, and followers eager to see the Melvinger family rise again as a magic royal family had sprung up in droves.

And so, the masses began referring to all of them collectively as the Star's Legion.

Naturally, this nickname wasn't given with any intention of mocking them.

On the contrary, it was filled with admiration, hope, and respect.

Many of Elric's followers even took pride in this name.

"Didn't they say that Lord Melvinger joined the imperial forces to serve the empire and answer the hopes of the people? He even asked for help from others, and that's why so many are following him."

"Indeed. It's only natural, given he is the grandson of the Magus of Stars. He's wise beyond his years."

"Well, the Melvinger family has been a magic royal family for over a thousand years, even if they've fallen on hard times. A great house is still a great house."

"Exactly! Now that's what I call a noble family! Not like those other nobles who only look out for themselves, hoarding wealth in the capital. Bah, they treat our lives like we're nothing but vermin!"

The public's opinion of Elric was overwhelmingly positive.

However, in the midst of their admiration, no one noticed the shadow quietly slipping away from the crowd.

***

"Those arrogant...!"

Tritan, director of the first division of the Inspection Bureau, gritted his teeth as he pushed through the crowd.

More than anything, he wanted to throw everyone who had just praised Elric Melvinger as a loyal noble into prison, but...

'I have to hold back. Damn it!'

But even so, Tritan couldn't suppress the seething rage that was boiling within him.

Elric had been using the media in a clever way to inflate his own reputation.

Although he was serving on the battlefield because of the Golden Bull, to the public, it seemed as if he had nobly volunteered out of concern for the empire's safety.

The imperial family's influence seemed to be fading, and only stories about Melvinger were being talked about more and more.

This wasn't a good development.

'What happened with the Weyl family wasn't done with noble intentions either.'

Perhaps blood does tell. The offspring of traitors always seem to follow in the same footsteps.

This so-called Star's Legion or whatever—it was obvious to Tritan that they were nothing more than a private army, a seditious force with ulterior motives.

"I'll need to meet with the director of the fourth division first."

With that, Tritan quietly made his way toward his next destination, reluctantly recalling the face of his political rival.

***

The Fighting Spirit of the Hawk.

That's how Herman had described the long-held aspiration shared by him and his sworn brothers.

But the explanation that followed was far more unexpected.

"How much do you know about the Golden Lion?"

"The Golden Lion... You mean the head of the Lion Duchy?"

"That's right."

『This should be an interesting topic.』

For the first time, Mephistopheles, who had never shown much interest in the lessons Herman gave Elric, perked up.

He had always been unusually interested in the Golden Lion, likely due to Elric's description of him as the strongest being in the current era.

Regardless of what else could be said about Mephistopheles, his competitive spirit was as fierce as ever.

"To be honest, I don't know much. What I do know is probably what most people do: that he was the only one in his time who could rival my grandfather."

Herman nodded, satisfied with that answer.

"The Magus of Stars... Yes, your grandfather was indeed the only one who could match him. However, I never met him in my youth, so I can't say much about him."

Herman stroked his chin thoughtfully as he continued.

"But there's one thing I can say for certain: the Golden Lion is a monster."

A monster.

Elric immediately thought of his master, Augustine.

"No. Compared to the one you're thinking of now, the Golden Lion is a far more overwhelming monster. I assure you, if White Night were to hear me say this, he would be furious, but it's the undeniable truth."

"…!"

『What? Stronger than that old man?』

Like Elric, Mephistopheles was equally shocked.

That alone was enough to show just how surprised he was.

After all, Augustine, the person Elric had seen, seemed like an unbeatable existence.

But to think that the Golden Lion surpassed even him?

It was hard to believe.

"My brothers and I first encountered the Golden Lion in our youth. Back then, we were traveling the world, talking about justice and righteousness as if the world was ours."

Herman's eyes grew distant, his gaze reaching not into the present but into the distant past.

He was in his twenties at the time.

Like Elric, he was renowned for his exploits.

He came from a wealthy family and possessed immense talent, but more than that, it was his reputation for playing the role of a heroic vigilante with his sworn brothers that made him famous.

Herman couldn't tolerate injustice. Whenever he heard the plight of the wronged, he would try to help, and if he found corrupt officials, he didn't hesitate to take action.

Sometimes, his and Blue Hawks' actions were so ruthless that dozens of corrupt officials were slaughtered.

There were times when he and his group even fought territorial wars against the families of these officials, but they always managed to turn the tide and overcome the odds, earning Herman the title of a seasoned warrior.

The righteous image of the Blue Lion and the Weyl family that exists today was largely built during that time.

It was a day much like any other.

In a remote mountain village, Herman and Blue Hawks heard about a band of bandits that had set up a base in the nearby forest.

Their cruelty was unparalleled, as they massacred any village that refused to submit, burning them to the ground.

The bandits regularly demanded tribute and kidnapped women, wreaking havoc on the surrounding area.

However, the bandits were not to be underestimated.

Local lords had already raised private forces to subdue them but had been forced to retreat in defeat.

As a result, the bandits' range of activity expanded, and now even the lords' territories were suffering under their raids.

Herman and Blue Hawks realized the gravity of the situation and set out to exterminate the bandits.

But that's when things went horribly wrong.

The bandits' strength far exceeded what Herman and his sworn brothers had anticipated. In fact, the bandits were superior in every way.

In reality, the so-called bandits were an elite special force unit from the empire itself. They had deserted after a failed mission, fearing punishment if they returned.

The leader of the bandits was a 4th-chain swordsman, while Herman at the time was only at the 3rd-chain level.

In the end, Herman and Blue Hawks were overwhelmed by the bandits' relentless assault.

They found themselves on the brink of death.

"That was when the monster appeared."

Herman described how, at the time, all he had seen was a flash of golden light.

And then.

It was over.

The entire bandit group, including their leader, had been wiped out.

—Is that it? It's over?

Among the blood-soaked, bisected corpses, a towering figure with golden hair stood on a puddle of blood.

The man, standing over two meters tall, had golden hair that resembled a lion's mane, tangled and wild. Just by looking at him, anyone would immediately think of the name Golden Lion.

—I really thought you might be the one to finally kill me this time… Hmm! Looks like that wasn't the case. Damn it. Another wasted effort.

The man with the golden hair was scowling, clearly displeased. His muttered words were incomprehensible, leaving Herman puzzled.

—Wait!

—Hmm?

—Wait, please.

—What is it? I saved you, didn't I? Shouldn't you just say thank you and scurry off? Why are you coming over here? Do you want me to cut you down too?

Herman knew that he had to stop this man. He still didn't know why, but he simply felt it was something he had to do.

His sworn brothers later scolded him, asking why he would risk approaching such a monster, but Herman couldn't have cared less.

All he wanted was to ask the question that had risen up in his throat.

—Your name! Please tell me your name.

—My name? Hmm! Did I have one of those? I did… but it's been so long I've forgotten. Not that anyone remembers it anyway.

The man with the golden hair casually spouted nonsense. Blue Hawk muttered that this was clearly a madman, but to Herman, it didn't seem that way.

—Then... What should I call you?

—The Golden Lion.

Of course.

Herman muttered to himself.

If he was the head of the Lion Duchy, a pillar of the empire, it made sense that he was truly this much of a monster. Just looking at him, there was no other name that fit better.

—Then, may I ask you one more question?

—Make it quick. I'm starting to get annoyed.

—How...

Herman swallowed nervously, his voice tense with anticipation.

—How can I become strong enough to beat you?

[T/L: You can read ahead chapters and support me here: https://ko-fi.com/revengerscans ]