2nd Rank Has Returned - Chapter 311



311 – The fight that Leo desires-3

When I first came to my senses, paradoxically, I felt refreshed.

The evil deeds that his body had committed until now under the control of the Demon King remained in Leonardo’s memory.

I didn’t have the sense that I had done it myself, but the screams of those who died still echoed in my eardrums.

Nevertheless, he was confident that he felt pleasure in being free from the monster’s clutches.

I felt like I was going to throw up. There was a possibility that his mind had already been contaminated by the Demon King.

I am on the verge of falling into such anxiety.

“Are you awake?”

A wise man appeared before my eyes.

He stood there with a shameless look on his face, as if he had returned for the first time. Unlike other times, his appearance did not feel like a spirit body.

I realized where this place was.

This was the cave where the Philosopher’s Stone was located.

“…Thank you.”

It was a blunt reply for a thank you.

For Leo, he was both a benefactor and the culprit that caused everything.

Although it was an overlooked issue, my spirit, which had been cracked by the Demon King, reached a point where I had no choice but to blame him.

It must have been the remnants of reason left in me not to swear right here and now.

“…It’s better to express gratitude to others. “Actually, I’ve done very little.”

“It looks like that.”

Even if it was superficial, Leo did not cover up that statement.

The one who pulled him out from being eaten by the Demon King was Ariasviel, who continued to fight to the death.

Thinking of my family who had already died, my legs still felt weak.

“…Well, this is my farewell. Can you say it a little more politely? “I’m also pretty hurt.”

Despite such a serious incident, the wise man maintained his usual playful voice.

If you point it out, nothing will change anyway. Leo had known since he became that man’s disciple.

“…So what are you going to do?”

“There is nothing to do. “Let’s talk slowly.”

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The emotions I had been holding in at that irresponsible remark were distorted. My spirit was already being broken because of the devil.

Nevertheless, the man who was the culprit did not show even a single hint and suggested that we have a chat on the rock formed by the corpses of people.

“…You… Really…!”

The moment he was about to let go, Leo stopped his body for a moment.

The memory of a man appeared in my head.

The words of a wizard who thought he was so brilliant that no one could understand him.

He remembers being betrayed by a lover he thought might understand him.

He lives the life of a wise man where the magic he created to benefit the world was abused in its worst form.

The regret of the first wizard who lost everything after being attacked by the first warlock was absorbed into his soul.

“…Wait a minute…! You…!”

[…Has it already been done? If you think about it, you’ve always been quick at absorbing things.]

The wise man’s appearance gradually became blurred. His existence disappeared as if he were a spirit body.

In addition, Leo was shocked for a moment. Even without the wise man having to explain the state, the knowledge seeped into his soul.

[The devil was not so easygoing. If he can’t use a dish, he calmly even destroys it.]

The wise man sighed and looked at his falling spiritual body. Although his expression was calm, Leo had a much better idea of what state he was in.

“Why… Are you doing this…!”

The resentment and hostility that had existed up to now disappeared in an instant.

It wasn’t him who called the devil in the first place. He was just an ‘ordinary human’ whose life was despised by a warlock.

Until now, taking responsibility was not humanly acceptable.

[…There is no need to think like that. If you think about it, I was the one most responsible for not being able to recognize it right away and prevent it.]

Unlike other times, the wise man laughed bitterly while blaming himself. He didn’t actually contribute anything.

Rather, his consciousness was tied up as a sacrifice to the first black magician, and all information about him as an individual rather than a wise man was completely destroyed.

It wasn’t a mistake to be treated with such contempt.

[You are also the one who suffered the most, right? Although he lived a similar life as me, he was also a much better person.]

The countless knowledge accumulated by the wise man entered Leo’s soul. Not just memories, but the magical essence he had built up seeped into his mind.

[Think of it as a simple gift.]

Without hesitation, he even entrusted all the great magic he had hidden to Leo for fear of it being misused by the world like during the time of the Demon King.

[You are not Ruben, and you are not me.]

His crumbling body, that is not death. Leo sensed that the devil’s bad news had all hit him at once.

[But you are my precious disciple who can be both a warrior and a wise man.]

The wise man smiled shamelessly and waved his hand.

[Goodbye. Leonardo Reinhardt.]

The wise man disappeared forever.

***

“As the wise man said, I am not Ruben Reinhardt.”

Leonardo, who recalled all the wise man’s memories, declared so. It was not a romantic thought, like simply not being able to doubt the words of a wise man who sacrificed himself.

Now that all the knowledge has come in, the reason has been logically explained.

“The Demon King mistakenly thought that Ruben Reinhardt simply wanted to live an ordinary life.”

To the extent that he was possessed by the Demon King, his memory of his existence was also clearly verified. The Demon King arbitrarily concluded that Ruben, who said he wanted to live a normal life, was reincarnated as a boy named ‘Leonardo’.

“Of course, Ruben left those words.”

Those words remained in the wise man’s memory like a will. However, unlike the Demon King, the Wise Man had a different hypothesis for Ruben’s death.

“It probably meant that everyone can become a warrior.”

The hypothesis was convincing. The new warrior’s power gained through the knowledge bestowed by the sage was proof of that in itself.

“…Does that make sense…?”

It was a logic that Black Arya could not easily understand.

I don’t know by what principle one is qualified to become a warrior, but the idea that everyone can become a warrior sounded more like a lie than an optimism.

“…At least after Ruben’s death.”

But there was no wavering in Leonardo’s voice. He couldn’t possibly think of making up lies just to protect Aria Spiel.

“His soul may be in me, but he would also be in many people, including you.”

The seed of being a warrior has probably already been planted in many people. He was able to clearly recognize it not only because of the sage’s knowledge, but also because it was Leo who had the seed planted in his body and sprouted.

“The only difference was whether or not it could sprout.”

And all the people who grew that tree were gathered here.

It was a shocking statement, but it meant one thing.

“At least it means that there is no one here who took advantage of the hero.”

Ruben Reinhardt acknowledged all of the warriors present.

It was truly meaningless to make a fuss about Ariasviel being a true hero and all.

“…That… That…”

Even White Aria could not easily understand, and Black Aria was close to not being able to deny it.

As so much information came in so suddenly, she could not tell whether it was true or not.

“Whether you understand this right away or not is actually not important right now.”

Leonardo drew his sword once again.

In fact, whether he was a warrior or not was not that important to Leonardo.

Unsheathing the sword now was something I had to do and something I wanted to do for the rest of my life.

“What’s important to me now is to fight with you and win.”

As the second-in-command, defeat the first-in-command and achieve victory.

The feeling that caused the regression has not changed even now. Rather, the desire has become clear in the current situation.

“…Do we really have to fight now? “After barely having a decisive battle with the Demon King…”

For Black Ariasviel, just accepting the current explanation was daunting enough.

Leonardo knew what the duel meant, but as Black Aria, she did not have the mental space to participate in the duel right away.

Perhaps she had surpassed her spirit as a human just by engaging in a decisive battle with the Demon Lord.

“Unfortunately, I am grateful that you saved me by defeating the Demon King, but at the same time, it is the same as no longer having an enemy to pay back. “It’s hard to accept that as an excuse, isn’t it?”

Leonardo himself was well aware that this was an absurdity that was embarrassing to call logic.

Rather, it is natural to understand that it is morally right to let Aria, who barely won after a hard fight against the Demon King, rest.

But this duel was a moment that even Leonardo could not compromise on.

Rather, if we move on from this moment, the grievances remaining with Black Aria will not be completely resolved.

As he held his heart together, Leonardo boasted of a blade made of black stone.

“…Then how about I do it?”

At the moment when Black Aria was dazed, the hero who pulled out the holy sword on her behalf was White Aria.

Even though Leo hit his stomach hard, Baek Aria pulled out her holy sword towards Leonardo without any hesitation.

On the contrary, the smile that made drool flow as if he wanted more was a bonus.

“I like it. Miss. “I didn’t know you would say that first.”

Leonardo cheerfully agreed to Baek Aria’s proposal while displaying the same tone he used when he was a dedicated knight.

At that attitude, Black Aria’s expression hardened in an instant.

“Of course. “I understand Leo’s feelings more than anyone else right now.”

Baek Aria showed her sneer with a look in her eyes that said, ‘You were the one who broke the truce first.’

“No matter what anyone says, it’s me.”

With just that attitude, Black Aria clearly understood what White Aria was trying to do.

“…No. “I received the duel request first, so it would be polite to respond accordingly.”

With the checks, Black Aria’s fighting spirit was kindled.

What was important in this fight was not whether I won or lost from Leo.

‘You can’t let it get taken away by the other side…!’

Jealousy toward another self was the factor that stimulated the fighting spirit of those two.

“So, let me, who had a long-standing relationship with Leo, deal with him…”

“Huh, are you even thinking about that now? “In the first place, I was going to fight on my own and then secretly lose…!”

With the man in front of them, the two Ariasviols, who were truly identical, engaged in a fierce battle, biting each other.

With that attitude, Leo quickly and briefly resolved the situation.

“Then attack them both at once.”

“…What…What?”

The two Ariaspils who were pecking at each other asked back at the same time as if they had joined forces.

Both Ariasviel could not help but make bewildered expressions at the suggestion, which was so unexpected and absurd.

No matter how much you wanted to defeat Ariasviel, the number one person, facing two heroes who had even defeated the Demon King at the same time was a completely different problem.

“I don’t think you can beat me even if you both attack me.”

It may be surprising, but Ariasviel was also clearly a warrior.

This means that she even clenched her tongue for such an arduous struggle to save her man, Leonardo.

So that’s what I’m saying now.

“…Okay… Don’t regret it. Leo.”

As a provocation, it was more effective than expected.

“Yes, I have been thinking for a long time that I would like to propose to you if I win the duel.”

“…Huh?”

As a result, Ariasviel did not win.

Because Leo was stronger and more cowardly than the Demon King.