"Now, I am here to save you."
The young man who descended from the heavens declared those words like a true savior. Wrapped in an overwhelming pressure, carrying the fearsome power of a dragon and a presence that was both sacred and noble, he looked, in that very moment, like an angel descending upon the mortal world.
The common people of Sumeru raised their eyes to his arrival with initially blank expressions, as if their minds were still unable to process what they were witnessing. But in the very next instant, their emotions overflowed. Their bodies trembled, their hearts raced, and a deep sense of devotion was born within their souls.
Someone fell to their knees almost instinctively, unable to support their own body in the presence of that figure.
After that, like a chain reaction, more and more people knelt.
"You… you are…"
"Dark hair and purple eyes… there's no mistake!"
"The Prince of Palettia, Leon!"
"You… you really came to save us?!"
All the commoners of Sumeru began to cry, tears streaming freely as despair and gratitude blended into a single overwhelming emotion.
They had prayed to the gods countless times, begged for salvation… yet never received an answer. And yet, in that moment, a man had answered their call.
Therefore—
At that instant, Leon was almost like a god to them.
"This… this is incredible. So this is the true Prince…?" Charlotte murmured, her lips slightly parted.
She stared fixedly at Leon's majestic figure, her heart trembling violently.
Leon's appearance completely changed the course of the situation.
The mercenaries and the Disciplinary Officers, who moments before had intended to continue the massacre, felt an overwhelming pressure descend upon their bodies, as if the very air had grown heavier.
That was only natural.
Leon's reputation had already spread across the entire world.
His legendary feats had been sung by countless bards, turned into stories, novels, and legends. His image—too perfect, too beautiful, too powerful—had been elevated to an almost unreal level.
There were even those who believed it was all exaggerated.
But now—
Standing before him—
They understood that reality surpassed any story.
Because yes—
He was perfect.
In appearance, presence, strength, and talent, there was not a single flaw to be found in that man.
"Prince Leon… what do you intend to do?"
The mercenaries and Disciplinary Officers broke into cold sweat. They gathered the courage to face him, but even speaking required tremendous effort.
They could slaughter civilians without hesitation.
But the man before them…
Was someone they could never oppose.
A prince of the superpower Palettia. An individual capable of destroying a country alone. A hero revered for his countless achievements.
Thanks to the relentless propaganda of a certain silver-haired elf and the many stories written about him, Leon had become, in the eyes of the world, the absolute protagonist.
Before him—
Everyone else was automatically reduced to the role of villains.
"What am I doing?" Leon tilted his head slightly, as if the question itself were absurd. "Can't you see?"
His voice echoed with unquestionable authority.
"I am simply putting a stop to your evil deeds."
He stepped forward, positioning himself directly between the civilians and the soldiers.
"I must admit, I'm impressed. I never thought I would see a kingdom where the agents of the law turn their weapons against those they are meant to protect."
His sacred sword, white and gold, shone brilliantly as it pointed straight at his enemies.
"Tell me… has the Kingdom of Sumeru truly fallen this far?"
At the same time, a soft light emanated from his body, enveloping the civilians behind him and healing their wounds.
The people cried even more.
The figure before them was too grand.
Too majestic.
Worthy of being followed.
Little did they know that, at that very moment—
Leon was extremely satisfied with himself.
[Perfect.]
[Exactly the kind of situation I like.]
[Moral superiority, the banner of justice… absolutely on the right side.]
[I am justice itself.]
A faint smile appeared on his lips.
He liked this position.
He liked standing above, judging, condemning… and being praised.
The mercenaries and Disciplinary Officers lowered their heads involuntarily. Leon's presence was overwhelming, and his words, filled with righteousness, made them feel as if they were being burned by an invisible light.
Deep within their hearts, a trace of conscience still remained.
And that conscience screamed—
They were the villains.
But it was already too late.
With no other choice, they clenched their teeth and spoke:
"Your Highness… please, do not interfere. This is an internal matter of Sumeru. If you continue, you will be interfering in another nation's politics."
Leon let out a light laugh.
"Interference? You truly don't understand what's happening here."
"What…?"
"What defines a kingdom is not its territory, its system, or its nobility."
He raised his hand and pointed toward the civilians behind him.
"It is the people."
"No matter how weak or insignificant they may seem in your eyes… they are the foundation of a kingdom."
"Now that they are asking me for help, it means the Kingdom of Sumeru itself is asking for help."
"Therefore, this is not interference."
"It is simply assistance."
Absolute silence fell over the area.
Everyone was stunned.
That logic… was completely different from anything they had ever known.
And yet—
At the same time—
It made sense.
And that was precisely why it was so impactful.
The civilians of Sumeru, on the other hand, were deeply moved.
They had never been valued like that before.
At that moment, many had already decided—
They would follow Leon to death, if necessary.
With just a few words, he had won over the hearts of an entire people.
"So… you intend to destroy a kingdom alone again?" someone asked, still clinging to a fragile hope. "With all due respect, it seems you forgot your dragon."
They had heard the stories.
They said Leon had destroyed a country with the help of a wind dragon.
But now—
He was alone.
Perhaps… there was still a chance.
Leon simply laughed, unconcerned.
"I don't need that."
To him, destroying a kingdom was trivial.
Even without his dragon, it made no difference.
And if he truly wished, all he had to do was pull the strings—
And the former King of the Skies would answer his call, no matter the distance.
"I have better methods to deal with people like you."
"What…?"
Under their uneasy gazes, Leon reached into his pocket and pulled out a relic shaped like an eye.
It was the artifact he had obtained after defeating members of the Diablos cult in the Kingdom of Knights.
"The Eye of Desire."
A tool capable of indiscriminately absorbing magical power across a vast area.
Originally, it could only cover an academy.
But after improvements made by the Seventh Seat, Eta, and Faruzan, its range now encompassed an entire city.
"Eye of Desire… activate."
The moment Leon activated the relic, an invisible barrier expanded rapidly, enveloping the entire City of Sumeru.
In the blink of an eye—
Everyone, except Leon and the girls of Night Raid, completely lost their ability to use magic.
The silence that followed was crushing.
"My… my magic… it's gone?"
"That's impossible!"
Despair overtook the faces of the nobles.
Leon watched everything with a faint, almost amused smile.
"Now… it's fair."
His eyes glimmered faintly.
"Weren't you so proud of your magical power?"
"Without it… you're no different from the civilians you despise."
He spun the Eye of Desire between his fingers as if it were a toy.
Admiring the expressions of pure terror before him—
Leon smiled.
"Now…"
His voice fell like an inevitable sentence.
"It's your turn to resist."
(End of Chapter)