"The Dendro Dragon King of Sumeru—who existed long before this desert became a forest and before human footprints ever appeared on this land—has already acknowledged me and recognized my qualification to inherit this land."
Leon freely released his Dendro elemental power.
Not only was the purity of his Dendro element far higher than that of an ordinary person, it also carried a distinct draconic aura.
Cyno, Tighnari, and Alhaitham were shocked the moment they sensed that magical power.
"How is this possible?!"
Although their positions differed, all three were outstanding students of the Sumeru Akademiya.
Despite the scarcity of information regarding the Dendro Dragon King, Apep, they still possessed a rough understanding of his existence.
They knew that he was the original king who once ruled Sumeru—the master of all vegetation.
And that he wielded terrifying power.
"Alhaitham, Tighnari, what's wrong with you?" Cyno noticed that the two companions beside him were in poor condition. Their faces were pale, their bodies trembling, and their breathing uneven.
"I don't know… It feels like our elemental power is submitting to his."
"This could be considered proof of what he said. If Prince Leon truly obtained the Dendro Dragon King's approval and gained part of his power, then it makes sense that Tighnari's and my elemental abilities are being suppressed to some degree," Alhaitham said calmly.
"Alhaitham, stop analyzing so calmly and think of a solution! You're the muscle-brain who only reads books!" Cyno mocked.
"Hmph! Are you jealous of me, Cyno?"
Seeing that those two were still capable of arguing under such circumstances, Tighnari's eyes twitched as he fell silent.
What kind of teammates did I end up with?
But Alhaitham was right.
The Dendro Dragon King, Apep, is the master of all grass and trees—the dragon king with the highest level of Dendro elemental authority in the world.
If the prince truly possessed his power, then neither he nor Alhaitham—both Dendro users—could ever defy him, just as civilians cannot defy their king.
"Haha, you really are an interesting group. Are you trying to ease the tension with pointless banter? There's no need. After all, I'm not a bad person."
Looking at Leon—who was smiling while releasing pressure, silently demanding submission—the three finally understood that this prince was not merely dangerous, but a wolf hundreds of times more terrifying than they had imagined.
"If you kill us now, others will definitely notice your actions. And don't even think about controlling or imprisoning us. Our unnatural disappearance at such a critical moment would immediately arouse suspicion."
Tighnari said through clenched teeth.
This was likely their only leverage.
They were betting that Leon did not want to escalate things.
All three of them played key roles in the plan to overthrow the Grand Sage. If they vanished now, the entire plan could collapse.
"Haha, you're clever—but it doesn't matter. I won't kill you, and I won't imprison you either… but I also won't let you leave. Very few people in this world can walk away unscathed after learning the truth about me."
"What are you planning to do?!"
"Nothing much. I'll simply issue you an order in my name. Until I conquer Sumeru, you will not interfere with my actions."
Leon removed the invisible lens from his left eye, revealing his uncontrolled Geass.
As the command was spoken, a crimson sigil shot forth from his eye and was imprinted into the eyes of Alhaitham, Tighnari, and Cyno.
"Yes, we understand!" the three replied instantly, like puppets.
The absolute obedience imposed by Geass prevented them from interfering with Leon's actions and posed no threat to his plans.
Leon thought to himself, Even if I didn't use Geass and let them go freely, they still wouldn't be able to stop the script I've already written. Still, I won't ignore even the smallest risk.
---
Ten minutes later.
"Huh? What just happened?"
"My memory feels a bit… blurry."
"What am I doing here?"
When Tighnari, Alhaitham, and Cyno regained consciousness, they found themselves inside a luxurious suite.
But that wasn't the real problem.
The real issue was that all three of them were lying in the same bed, covered by blankets.
They stared at one another.
Then, in unison, they lifted the blankets and checked their own bodies.
After confirming that nothing was wrong, they let out a sigh of relief—but still exchanged wary glances.
Though none of them spoke, their thoughts were exactly the same.
One of these two is suspicious. Someone definitely went alone to this hotel after being knocked out, booked a room, and we even slept together in the same bed! No—less contact from now on. After this plan is over, we should never interact again.
"Don't ask anything. Don't say anything. Just leave."
"Mm."
"Alright."
The three left the hotel with dark expressions. They didn't even dare use the front door—instead, they opened a window and jumped out, afraid of being seen leaving a suite together.
What they didn't know was that this was a prank orchestrated by a certain ill-intentioned prince.
Not because he wished them harm—he simply enjoyed teasing others out of habit. Otherwise, if Leon had been serious…
There was no way the three of them would still be wearing their clothes. He might even have hired an artist to draw them.
"Master, would you like me to show you around Sumeru?"
"No need. I'll take my time appreciating it after I conquer this kingdom. After all, I already have all the necessary information in my head."
Leon pointed to his head as he spoke.
Though it was his first time here, every detail of this kingdom already existed in his mind.
Despite never having walked its streets, he knew this land better than the people who lived in it.
"Now I need to meet that Lesser Lord Kusanali. I want to know what kind of person she is. Haha, I'm really looking forward to it."
"I wish you good luck, Master."
Leon casually opened a spatial rift and stepped into it. In the next instant, he appeared before the palace where Kusanali was imprisoned.
He looked at the small structure.
Although it was a beautiful palace, it was nothing more than an ornate prison.
Ignorant Sumeru had locked a benevolent king away like a bird in a cage.
Leon couldn't help but sigh.
"There are many people who do not deserve salvation. Those traitors who committed such atrocities against you are not qualified to live in my perfect world."
(End of Chapter)