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Davion tilted his head.
'What is this?'
He knew that the Naone County's private army was of unusual size.
Therefore, he naturally planned to include Naone County in the Davion Alliance.
And this was Davion's family estate, wasn't it?
He naturally thought they would join him.
Davion's expectations were completely wrong.
"May I ask why?"
"Are you asking because you don't know? About our family's role."
Ah.
To protect the people of the territory from the bandits of the Ossid Continent.
Edward sighed and answered.
"I am aware of the importance of the matter, but this place has its own affairs. It may be a small matter from the perspective of the entire kingdom, but for the people living here, there is nothing more important. If we remove our troops here to join you, the tribes of the Ossid Continent will immediately rush in at once."
"But if the Marino Empire swallows the kingdom, those people will not be safe either."
"Davion."
"Yes?"
Count Edward stared intently into Davion's eyes.
"It is admirable that you have grown so well. But just because you went to the academy and saw a bigger world, have you already forgotten the people of this territory who have been with you for 16 years? Have you forgotten how cruel the bandits of the Ossid Continent are to the people here?"
It's not that I forgot.
I don't know anything, Father.
"They empty the granaries, take all the valuables, kidnap the children, and rape the women, and those guys are constantly eyeing this place only 3 kilometers away across the sea."
Davion asked absentmindedly.
"Was it that bad?"
Edward tilted his head.
"Are you really asking because you don't know? Have you forgotten that even you, my son, were almost captured when you were a child? Childhood memories can be forgotten, but have you forgotten even though your father has told you so many times?"
Actually, this is why I don't come home often.
What can I do when I don't have any memories of this place?
An uncomfortable and difficult time.
But.
Looking at Edward's serious expression and listening to his words, I think I can understand the situation here.
"The reason we can't cross the sea and strike those guys is because we don't have the royal permission, right?"
"You know it well, yet you speak as if it's someone else's business."
"Why doesn't the royal family allow it? Don't they value the people of the frontier?"
Count Edward shook his head.
"His Majesty the King would never do that. He probably knows that it's because the matter would become too big. Even if we take all our private soldiers and cross over to subjugate the tribes that engage in banditry, another tribe will take their place. Then they will start raiding again."
"You mean it's meaningless to subjugate a few tribes that come over unless we completely pacify the Ossid Continent?"
"Now you're talking like my son."
The entire kingdom is facing a greater threat, but.
This place has its own circumstances.
We can't ignore the water overflowing into the house just to prepare for a typhoon coming from afar.
I could fully understand Count Edward's intention.
'It's a shame, but there's nothing I can do.'
Isn't the very reason why he built up a larger private army than any other county to protect the people around here?
"I understand Father's intention."
As Davion was about to leave the office, Count Edward's voice came from behind him.
"Davion. But never forget that your father is always behind you."
At the same time.
The guest accommodation where Latia is resting.
Knock, knock.
"Who is it?"
"It's Davion's mother. Would you like to have a cup of tea with me?"
Latia, who was lying on the bed, jumped up in surprise.
"Ah! Yes, yes. Just a moment."
She quickly went to the mirror and ran her fingers through her disheveled hair, and straightened her crumpled school uniform.
Then she went and opened the door herself.
"Please come in."
"Thank you, young lady."
"Please speak comfortably."
"Oh my, how can I to the eldest daughter of the Duke's family. Can I call you Latia instead? You seem to be very close to my son."
"Ah, yes. Of course. Call me whatever you're comfortable with."
"Then follow me. I've prepared tea in the reception room. Let's have a light cup of tea, just us girls."
"Yes, Countess."
Reception room.
"Thank you for going with Davion on such a dangerous task. I heard you're very skilled, but I can only see you as a delicate and pretty female student."
"It's nothing. As I said, Davion was the first to risk his life to save my father."
"Is that really the only reason?"
Countess Catherine Naone's voice was calm, but.
Latia's voice began to bounce around.
"Yes, yes? Ah, and also... we're close friends... and..."
"What do you think? Of our Davion."
A series of attacks coming in calmly.
"Yes, yes? Ah, he's very skilled, takes good care of his friends, he's the student representative... and..."
"Oh my, I'm being nosy. It's just that Latia, you're so pretty. Never mind, have some tea. It's very fragrant."
Latia's bouncing voice finally calmed down.
"Yes, the tea smells really good."
But the Countess's way of speaking was like swordsmanship.
She pierced the heart of the matter when you least expected it.
"I approve."
"Yes? Yes?"
"If Davion and Latia have good feelings for each other, I approve."
"Ah... it's not like that between us..."
Countess Catherine Naone smiled brightly.
"Or maybe not. It's a pity."
Which nobleman on the Pax Continent would dare to oppose their son dating the eldest daughter of the Meridian Duke's family?
It was an opportunity to change the status of the family.
They would throw a grand party to welcome her.
But Catherine's calm expression in Latia's eyes was.
Catherine's voice that Latia heard was.
It was just Davion's mother, not a noble Countess.
Always confident.
Sometimes ruthless.
Latia's heart, which had been firmly hardened from a young age, melted a little.
"Actually..."
Countess Catherine Naone raised her right hand and placed it on Latia's shoulder.
"Latia, you don't have to say anything. I just wanted to convey my feelings."
"Ah, yes..."
Catherine's hand came down from Latia's shoulder, but.
Catherine's bright smile warmly embraced Latia.
Elton Academy.
Theory class.
Today's theory class was taught by Wendy, a professor of Summoning Magic.
"It is known that there are five continents in the Demon Realm. Each continent is separated by a dark space of unknown depths. If there is a sea between the continents of our human realm, there is an endless dark space between the continents of the demon realm."
Today's theory class is about the Demon Realm.
"Of the five continents, the one that affects our human realm is the Penrose Continent. There is no information about the other continents at all."
Someone raised their hand and asked.
"Then does the Demon King only rule the Penrose Continent, or the entire Demon Realm?"
"Only the Penrose Continent. What separates the continents of the Demon Realm is not like the sea. It is blocked by a dark space that cannot be crossed."
"Why is only the Penrose Continent of the Demon Realm connected to the human realm?"
"Good question."
Wendy, who winked at the student who asked the question, continued.
"I don't know the exact time. Some historical books say 1600 years ago, some say 1800 years ago, and some say it was more than 2000 years ago. Anyway, a long time ago, more than 1000 years ago. The two dimensions overlapped and demons and monsters poured into the human realm. It was the first connection point with the Demon Realm."
"Why don't you know the exact time?"
"It's not exact. But when you combine various records. The most popular theory is that humans were almost on the verge of extinction at the time. Dragons gathered and barely drove out the demons."
Most students are hearing this story for the first time.
It is a history that old.
"Then there were no monsters before that?"
"I guess so? I thought they were there from the beginning."
Professor Wendy continued the class.
"Now, let's get back to the Penrose Continent, which is related to our human realm. There are five legions on the Penrose Continent."
Professor Wendy explained the five legions.
The Acheron Legion, which means grief.
The Cocytus Legion, which means sorrow.
The Phlegethos Legion, which means fire.
The Lethe Legion, which means oblivion.
The Styx Legion, which means hatred.
There is no set hierarchy for each legion.
The legion with the legion commander who has the stronger power at that point in time takes the higher position.
Once affiliated with a legion, you cannot move to another legion, and that goes for the legion commander as well.
So, when the legion commander dies due to old age, the second strongest demon in the legion becomes the next legion commander.
"This is what you can find in the history books. Ordinary people don't know it, but all historians know it. Now, it's time to tell you the latest information about the Demon Realm."
Thump, thump.
Professor Wendy, who finished explaining up to this point, closed all the thick history books that had been spread out on the lectern.
"Latest information?"
"Is there such a thing? About the Demon Realm?"
"The latest information is not information from 500 years ago, is it?"
The students murmured.
"You know about the incidents where dimensional portals have been opening up here and there lately, right? The Royal Guard secretly captured some demons and interrogated them to obtain information. We have specially shared the information with Elton Academy for you. You should thank His Majesty the King for allowing the information to be shared."
It was a word that made Davion prick up his ears.
'Did that happen?'
It seems that the royal family was not just sitting idly by.
Davion listened more carefully to Professor Wendy's words.
"First of all, based on the current standard, the order of the five legions is Acheron, Styx, Cocytus, Lethe, and Phlegethos. The legion commander of the Phlegethos Legion recently came over to the human realm and was killed. Everyone knows who did it, right?"
"Davion!"
"Davion Naone!"
Liber jumped up and shouted.
"Then our Davion killed the legion commander of Phlegethos, so Phlegethos became the lowest in the order!"
Professor Wendy smiled and shook her head.
"Unfortunately, no. That order is the order before Davion killed the legion commander named Jedicus."
"Ah..."
"Unfortunately, the legion commander that Davion killed was the lowest in the order."
"Ah..."
Davion pondered Professor Wendy's words.
Acheron, Styx, Cocytus, Lethe, Phlegethos order.
Phlegethos is more certain to be the fifth in the order because Jedicus died.
'The order of the Cocytus Legion must have changed.'
There is something that even Professor Wendy and the royal family do not know yet.
Davion defeated the legion commander of the Cocytus, the 3rd-ranked legion, last weekend.
'Maybe Cocytus has dropped to 4th place. Maybe the 5th place has changed.'
Anyway, it doesn't matter which legion is in 4th and 5th place.
What matters is the Acheron and Styx Legions.
Two legions with legion commanders stronger than Javier, whom Davion defeated.
'Are they stronger than me?'
Probably.
They will be strong.
Looking at the gap between the 5th-ranked Jedicus and the 3rd-ranked Javier, I thought that the difference in skills between the legion commanders would be quite large.
'Does that mean there are still two legion commanders in the Demon Realm that I can't handle alone?'
"The situation of the five legions is like this. It is said that the Demon King has three direct subordinates. In fact, they are doing the work of ruling the Penrose Continent instead of the Demon King."
Davion frowned.
What else is there?
Liber raised his hand and scratched Davion's itchy spot.
"Then are those three direct subordinates stronger than the legion commanders?"
Professor Wendy nodded.
"Yes. They are beings above the legion commanders."
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