LHAHS Chapter 460
The Emperor of Lordren, Charles Dio Lordren, sat upon his throne, gazing down at his vassals with a bored expression.
Kneeling before him with their heads bowed, they spoke.
"Your Majesty, no matter how renowned Leo Plov may be, it goes against tradition for a mere hero candidate, who has yet to even attain the title of hero, to join Imperium. Please reconsider!"
"Please reconsider!"
The offer for Leo to join Imperium was, in essence, a unilateral decision made by Emperor Charles. Of course, he had consulted with the heads of Zerdinger and Lewellin, his closest advisors for generations.
For Selde, the head of Zerdinger, there was no downside to Leo's exceptional admission. In fact, from Selde's perspective, it was a cause for celebration.
No matter what anyone says, Leo is Selde's nephew and a direct descendant of Zerdinger. Moreover, Leo's skills are on par with heroes themselves.
He simply had not yet been officially granted the title of hero. But in terms of sheer power, he was already their equal. If such a nephew were to enter Imperium under special circumstances, Zerdinger's reputation would only rise further.
Chade Lewellin also had no reason to oppose it.
If Leo Plov were merely a Zerdinger, it might be different, but he is also a mage.
Not just any mage, but the officially recognized successor of the Comet Mage, Seiren. Leo's reputation as a mage was already well established in the magical world.
Leo Plov entering Imperium wouldn't necessarily strengthen Zerdinger's influence.
On the contrary, as an All-Class, his neutrality would likely remain strong.
And he's also incredibly close with Chelsea.
Since their first year, everyone had known that Leo, Chelsea, and Carl were an inseparable trio. Given that, Chade had no reason to oppose Leo's admission.
And so, when Leo's exceptional entry was announced, many nobles sought an audience with Emperor Charles. Their purpose was clear: to overturn Leo's admission.
It was true that the imperial family of Lordren, alongside the founding families of Zerdinger and Lewellin, formed the leading faction within the empire. However, no matter how immense their authority, the three families alone were not enough to control the vast Lordren Empire.
Governing such an enormous empire required political maneuvering, and with that came entangled interests. Thus, it was inevitable that some would find Leo's special admission undesirable.
Leading the coalition against it was none other than Ethereca Deckney, the Knight of the Raging Winds.
Having attained the title of hero, he served as the Captain of the Imperial Knights of Lordren. A man of immense pride, he had risen from a lower-ranked knightly house to become a hero.
His ultimate goal was to claim the title of the strongest knight in the Lordren Empire. However, he had consistently been overshadowed by Selde Zerdinger, never able to rise above second place.
As a result, within the empire, he had become a major force of opposition against Zerdinger, rivaling even Lewellin.
"Ethereca, are you saying that Leo Plov is unqualified?"
"That is correct, Your Majesty. He has yet to prove himself worthy of Imperium."
"Leo Plov has already become the youngest student council president in Lumene's history and has conquered the Hero World. On top of that, he played a pivotal role in the subjugation of Erebos alongside the Brave Hero. Even if his name has not been recorded in the Hero Record, I believe that is more than enough proof," Selde explained.
Ethereca responded impassively, "Selde, you're only defending him because he's your nephew, aren't you? Being a student council president of Lumene does not guarantee one will become a hero. Nor did Leo Plov conquer Hero World on his own. The subjugation of Erebos's fragment was the same. In the end, wasn't it only possible because Aaron was there?"
Ethereca let out a scoff.
"Nothing has been proven. Granting him special admission under these circumstances will tarnish Imperium's reputation and, more importantly, stain Your Majesty's honor."
Narrowing his eyes, Ethereca continued, "I had expected the head of Lewellin to restrain Selde Zerdinger."
"I, too, believe that Leo Plov is a worthy addition to Imperium," Chade replied smoothly.
As the three heroes stood in opposition, Emperor Charles finally spoke.
"One of the reasons I wish to bring Leo Plov into Imperium is because other hero guilds are interested in him. As emperor, I have a duty to prevent our empire's talents from being lost to outsiders."
"I am deeply moved by Your Majesty's devotion to the future of our empire. However, Your Majesty…"
Ethereca's tone grew more forceful.
"If he is so willing to abandon the empire, then he is not a talent the empire needs. Bestowing special privileges upon such a man will only cause unease among the loyal subjects who truly follow Your Majesty. I implore you to reconsider."
At Ethereca's words, his supporters once again lowered their heads deeply.
Emperor Charles narrowed his eyes as he observed them.
It is undeniable that Leo Plov is a vital asset to the empire. No matter how strong the empire may be, there is no one else like him.
An All-Class, just like the Hero of the Beginning, Kyle.
And his proficiency across all disciplines was extraordinary.
Though Emperor Charles had never attained the title of hero himself, nor had he formed a contract with the Pegasus Arty, a contractee beast passed down through his lineage, he was nonetheless a powerful summoner.
Thus, he fully understood just how absurd Leo's accomplishments were as a summoner.
If the goal was truly to benefit the empire, then by any means necessary, he had to secure Leo.
But politics were not so simple. There would always be those who, no matter what, would deny and obstruct Leo's place… Even if it meant rejecting reality itself.
Such is politics.
Even so, Emperor Charles was determined to push through his will no matter what.
Leo Plov will surpass the Sword Saint and become a true hero. If we are to consider the future, then the empire must have him.
Just as the emperor was about to speak…
Knock, knock—!
A knock came from outside the council chamber.
A messenger stepped inside. "An urgent report, Your Majesty!"
"What is it?"
"Leo Plov has been recorded in the Hero Record!"
The chamber erupted into murmurs, and Ethereca's face soured.
"So, the special admission is unnecessary, then." Emperor Charles said.
The opposition fell silent.
Just then, another messenger hurried into the room.
"There is a report from Dellan regarding Your Majesty's letter!"
"Well? Did Leo Plov accept Imperium's offer?" Emperor Charles asked with a relaxed smile.
The messenger hesitated before cautiously answering, "Leo Plov has declined Imperium's offer."
"What?" The emperor's face stiffened at the completely unexpected response.
The room buzzed with voices of confusion. . "What is the reason? Did he join another guild? Or did he refuse because he is still a student and unable to enter?"
"According to Zeiss Zerdinger and Rozes Lewellin… he intends to create his own guild."
At those words, everyone looked dumbfounded.
"A new guild…?"
"How arrogant."
As the murmuring spread, Sasha, who had been attending the meeting, muttered, "That is so like Senior Leo."
"You seem pleased?" Rhys, seated beside her, asked with a smile.
Sasha covered her lips with her fan. "Did it seem that way?"
Narrowing her eyes, Sasha glanced at Rhys. "Senior Rhys, you also seem rather entertained."
"Watching my unpredictable cousin is always quite amusing."
News of Leo's registration in the Hero Record spread across the world.
People cheered for the birth of a new hero.
It had been thousands of years since the Hero Record was first revealed. There had been heroes in the past who had earned their place in the Hero Record at Leo's age.
However, none had possessed a career as dazzling and overwhelming as Leo's.
Countless media outlets flocked to cover stories about him. Interest in Leo grew hotter and hotter, yet he himself remained utterly indifferent.
His name appeared in the newspapers daily, but to Leo, it was nothing but a nuisance.
Time passed, and before long, summer vacation came to an end.
At the Lumeria City dock, Carl clicked his tongue in disbelief."You really are something else. If it were me, I'd be out there enjoying all this attention."
Leo smirked. "That's rich, coming from the guy who coldly rejected every offer from the dwarf hero guilds."
Leo wasn't the only one who had received invitations to join hero guilds. Many promising students had been approached as well.
Among them, Carl stood out the most.
"Since you got Dweno's Alchemy Book as a conquest reward, I'm sure the dwarves must be after you more than anyone."
"Hey, that's not being 'after' someone—that's 'hunting' them! You didn't see the way those dwarves were looking at me!" Carl clutched his arms and shuddered. "They looked like they were about to dissect me on the spot!"
Seeing Carl recoil in horror, Leo burst into laughter.
"By the way, do you think they'll change the school rules?"
"Not a chance."
Leo narrowed his eyes. The heads of the military academies were not the type to change school regulations so easily.
And even if they tried, I'd stop them.
He could not allow the unprepared to be sent into battle.
Having lived through the Age of Calamity, Leo knew. No matter how talented or skilled someone was, if they entered the battlefield unprepared, they were helpless.
He knew how heavy the burden was when boys and girls with so much potential died before they could bloom.
Back in the Age of Calamity, we had no choice because we were outnumbered.
During the Age of Calamity, when the world stood on the brink of annihilation, anyone who could fight had to fight.
But now, things are different.
Now, there was time to prepare.
Leo let out a small sigh.
"Gasp! It's Leo!"
"Now that he's famous, should we ask for an autograph?"
Their classmates spotted Leo and reacted in surprise.
"Ah, as expected of our great hero beloved by all," Carl said with a smirk.
Leo chuckled.
A girl from the Summoning Department blushed and approached him hesitantly. "U-Um… President, can I get your autograph?"
"Me too! Me too!"
"I want to hear about the battle with Erebos!"
That was all it took. In an instant, students swarmed around Leo.
"Urk?!" Swept away by the wave of students, Carl was pushed far from Leo. He scratched his cheek. "Man… it really feels like he's become someone from a completely different world."
Heroes had always been figures of admiration. Now, countless products related to Leo were pouring into the market—proof of his growing fame.
Maybe I should cash in on this and start selling Leo merchandise…
Carl began seriously considering it.
The dock they were at was reserved for second-year students only.
Once we get to the school, students from every grade are going to mob him.
Carl took a step back, watching Leo with a conflicted expression.
Thud—!
"Oh, sorry, I didn't see…"
"Found you, Carl Thomas."
A chilling voice rang from behind Carl, cutting him off mid-apology.
Startled, Carl turned around. Standing there, wearing a murderous expression, was someone Carl had not expected to see.
"Emio? What are you doing here?" he asked, confused.
Emio's face twisted in rage. "You arrogant bastard. Are you saying I shouldn't be here?!"
"No, it's not that you can't be here, but…" Carl hesitated awkwardly before speaking. "Didn't you get expelled last semester?"