Chapter 16: Hero's festival

The oponent for Leo was none other then his closest and dearest companion, Kiira. Given they were both training together, it would be fair to say they were also each others greatest rival.

"Laaaaadieeeess and gentlemaaaaaaan! Welcome to opening match of the Hero's festival! I'm your cute comentator Abby! And by my side right here is none other then Garnet Grima Netrose! Leader of one of only three Adamantite blue ranked adventurer teams in our kingdom, the Briar Croooooown!!!"

"Greetings!" Leo's grandmother smile and gave a wave to people in attendance.

"Nooooow! Let us welcome our competitors of the opening match! In one corner we have the Dragon slayer! No need for lenghty introductions as that title is all you need! The one entering is none other then young Count Leonard Hirano Dragonrose! Aaaaannd, against him we have none other then his right hand and third seat of this years S class, the Sword mage, also known as the Crimson Comet, Kiira Drakeena!"

The [Crimson Comet] was a nickname Kiira gave herself while entering martial arts tournaments all over the kingdom. No need to say that Leo was the one who carried her over most of them.

Meanwhile, as the cheers of the people erupted through the arena, in VIP seats usually reserved for royalty or high nobility, a maid dropped her tray with cups and tea, breaking and spilling it all over the floor.

"What are you doing, Kureha?" Orion asked tiredly.

"M-my apologies, my lord! I've dazed a little, I'm terribly sorry," the maid bowed right away and started cleaning the mess.

"Honestly, this maid… why did father even send you with me here?"

***

Few months prior, in the elven territory.

"It seems like Flik's kid got himself a title, Kureha," a dignified elf with crimson eyes said, looking sternly at the maid by the doors. Right now they were alone in the room.

"I understand master, but is it of some importance to the forest you govern?"

"Not him. But his group seems slightly troubling. Two unawankened majins, Dragonman and High elf with red hairs and eyes… to think they took down forest dragon with just four people… and that golden light…"

"Y-you said… red eyes and hairs?" Kureha, the maid, shivered.

"It indeed seems so. Apparently she was a slave of the Netrose family since birth, but she doesn't look like the elf who is supposed to be her mother at all. Not the eyes, hair... heck even the shape of her features don't add up. It could be that she took strongly after her father, but we can't be sure about that as there is no one written as a father in family register. Though that was most likely made after she was bought by the Netrose... strangely it adds up, huh?"

Is it possible… that it's… no way… Kiira?!

"It certainly looks like that disgrace of ours is moving up in the world."

"So… you think… that she's really…"

"I'm certain of it."

A child born from human and elf is a rarity due to elvish low reproduction rate and difference in body temperatures of the two races, yet when the seed takes root, it's certain that the child will be strong either magically or physically. There were reports of an half elf adventurer from first king's era who was said to be able to crush Demon Bear's head with just two fingers. From that time it's said that a red hairs and eyes of an elf are symbol of strenght and destruction. If such a mix-blood were to reach level fifty in just twelve years and successfully evolve into High elf, which in itself is a rarity, it could tip the power ballance just like that adventurer many hundreads of years ago did.

"If that child is really our daughter, then it's more then just possible that she would hold grudge agains parents that discarted her."

"But, there is no way she could remember us, right? She wasn't even one year old when I…" Kureha's throat got dry and words refused to leave her mouth.

"Well, it's becouse of our recklessness and my wife's ruthelessness that lead to this… no I shouldn't push blame, we eloped and ended up with a child. And child is always a responsibility of two."

"If we haven't send her away as a slave, the entire forest could have turned into hellscape…"

The truth of the matter was that the current duke was just a stand it for his future heir as the original duke family was that of his wife. He took on the role of duke becouse the late duke, his wife's father have not produced a male hair. Meaning that Eleia Gunhuta Elvieren, was the one who held most of the political power in elven territories all over the northern parts of the Ostillian Kingdom.

Though on the other hand, the duke held the highest position in the elven army.

"True that. But still… she's my daughter, I want to know she's treated nicely."

"That makes two of us…"

***

"Fufufu, now that I think about it, this is our first serious fight, right?" Kiira laughed as the referee started the fight.

"You're quite right. Always training, training and training... never being serious…"

In that moment, three flashes of light appeared between Leo and Kiira and were acompanied by sound of blades hitting each other just seconds later. When all this happened, the hands of the two blurred and returned to their previous positions in an instant.

"It's tiring, is it not?" Leo smiled.

"W-wooooow! Did you see that?! Such a speed! Lady Garnet, did you see that?"

"It was hard to see, but… there were actually six slashes, not just three."

"Oh, really?! Does that mean our eyes are too slow for us to see?!"

"I'm sure, those of us who are around level fifty here can see at least four slashes. I myself just saw five, with the sixth one being more of a blur."

"Did everyone hear that?! It seems like these two are so fast that even Adamantite blue ranked adventurer could not see properly!! We can rest asured that our kingdom's future is safe in hands our young heroes!!!"

"Fufufu, Leo, you are still holding back, don't you?"

"If you want me to get serious, then make me," Leo responded to Kiira's taunt by readying his blade.

"Very well, «Phoenix gear»" Kiira got swallowed by flames. Her entire body burn with blue flames, yet she was not in pain. That was due to the nature of the flames as well as her own strenght. Kiira got herself a blessing from God of fire of level 6. Meaning she could not be burnt by her own flame, no matter how strong the flame was. "I will get you serious then!" her eyes blazed and a crest of Phoenix appeared on her chest.

"My, oh my… so restless," Leo smiled, "If I touch those flames, then I'm done for. Even the protective barriers they put on us can't do anything to stop this… quite a spell I made," Leo laughed softly as he simply dodged the slashes and flames.

"Sir Dragonrose is cornered by his own spell?!"

"No," Garnet smiled, "look at his face, he's enjoying this."

Leo readied his sword and took a deep breath. His smile still growing.

"«Cocytus blade»"

As Leo chanted his spell, his silverish green eyes turned light blue. A cold wind blew past him and freezed everything it touched.

"Using Ice agains fire?! Does sir Dragonrose trow in the towel?!!"

In that moment Leo springed into the action. His blade that got covered with ice clashed with Kiira several times and even hit her body few times.

Leo took his distance. Cleaning his blade of residual flames and ice.

"Huh?!"

"Wooooow!!! Did you see this everyone?! Sir Dragonrose froze the flames itself!!!"

Kiira was standing there with ice covering her shoulder, right hip and blade.

"Such a thin ice won't stop meeee!!!" the fire on Kiira grew wilder.

"Good girl. I thought you were done. I should know you would be able to melt my «Cocytus blade» Right. Playtime's over."

"Yeah. I still have someone to beat, and waiting on him in top eight seems more satisfying," Kiira's face made a big fearless grin as she declared so.

"Sorry, but you will have to defeat him in preliminary rounds, as I will be taking my win here," Leo declared with a fearless grin of his own.

The two closed on each other once more. The blue lights of heat and chill clashed with each other.

Steam rose between the two and covered the entire field.

Suddenly, the clashed ended. The steam rose high and revealed the battlefield. Flames and ice spikes were everywhere.

""L-lord Leo!"" Victina and Gloriosa called out seeing the boy in the arena.

He held his sword with just one arm as his left arm lay cut of on the ground. Kiira was no better. The flames were healing her body, yes, but the flames itself were dying out, not being able to keep up with the damage done to her body.

"T-the winner is—"

"Not so fast! «Space restore»" With Leo's chant, the cut off hand disappeared and appeared back on the stump it was cut off from, "I never said I gave up."

"Yeah, don't you see he was going too easy on me so far?!" Kiira smiled same way as Leo did.

"They really are like one soul split in two bodies, right?" Taru smiled as she finished her skewer next to the dumbfounded Gloriosa and Victina.

"Yeah… plus they are moving slower then usuall… are they…" Lulu looked at Taru for confirmation, but she just winked and covered her mouth with her sauce covered finger before licking it clean.

"«Leviathan gear»" Leo got covered in water and ice and started moving like a snake over the arena. His sword was hitting Kiira with presicion and stenght of wild stream.

"Improved mist sword technique: Eruption" As Leo declared his next move, his movements blurred again.

In the next moment, just as Leo appeared behind Kiira as if from thin air, she fell to the ground. Her flames gone  out in an instant and her barrier shattered.

"E-even though his hand got cut off…"

"Wooooow–!!!"

"The winner is Leonard Dragonrose!"

As the referee declared so, Leo held out hand to Kiira who just sit up. As the two stood next to each other, Kiira smiled and kissed Leo's cheek. "You better be ready becouse I'm gonna win next time!"

"I'll be awaiting your challage anytime," he gave her a speck in return.

"Uoooooooooooooooohh!!!" the cheers ringed out.

***

It's her… not doubt about it… Kureha though to herself seeing the girl smiling next to the boy in the arena.

It gave me chills when she looked at me in the middle of that fight, but it seems she's happy living with that Dragonrose boy…

"Hmph, so it ended up just like we thought it would," Orion stood up and was followed by his half-elf guard closely.

"Kiira… now that I'm sure where to find you… no, I'm not brave enough to tell you the truth… please live happily for yourself."

"Miss Kureha," suddenly a shadow spoke up at the corner of the VIP lounge, making her eyes darken as she responded.

"Shado… I see, inform the duke, will you?"

"That is my purpose," the person in shadow nodded.

"Great. Please move discretly, the duchess can not learn about this, nor those blue flames."

"I can't be moving otherwise," the man in shadow smiled and disappeared.

"I would love to see you grow up, my dear. But I will at least make sure she won't reach you. Not now, not ever... still, blue flames huh? Just like that adventurer in legends..." Kureha left the lounge and followed Orion to his carriage.

***

Given the opening fight was over with a great success, the Dragonrose household step out to enjoy the festival. All around the school grounds were stalls with food, drinks and games for anyone who wished to participate in them. Leo and his firm even set up a football* field and had two teams play against each other.

And of course, if there is a chance for troubles to appear, they were most likely to appear.

"Frederick there are three pickpocketers on the street to your left. Gustavo there seem to be clogged road on second floor go there and direct the people. Calin, stop eating that cotton candy and go to the Second year class B classroom. There seem to be some problem with their stage play."

"Sure, Vicecaptain!"

"I will get there in a four minutes vice-boss."

"Okey-dokey!"

The three members of the group nodded to my command over the communication spell Commander and headed out to their destinanted areas.

"Woow~" Captain, standing next to me started clapping her hands, "That space magic is more amazing then I though. You seem to be able to do anything."

"Not anything. I just adapt to my surroundings. That way I never stop evolving."

"I must say, though. You really surprised me when you cut of your arm like that."

"Whatever you may be talking about," Leo smiled like a pro bussinessman.

"I mean, if she hit you then there would be burn marks, not to mention that it would break your magic barrier. But if you cut your own arm, then that would mean the barrier remained unchanged, even though your body got damaged. What a loophole to use, I'm sure the adults will investigate it."

"Well, that's a big 'IF' right there. And I would love to see my sister try," Leo smiled as he recalled the face of his big sister Hina who spent most of her days between the Thirteen wands of Ostillian Kingdom trying to find a Void spell that could pierce his barriers.

"But you are not denying it," captain smiled, "You are really something else."

What actually happened in the steam cloak was that when Leo understood Kiira would break through his ice, he cut of his arm and pushed it away, making her sword going through empty space. At the same time, he stopped his bleeding with Space magic and returned his cut off arm to it's original place with his only healing spell «Space restore».

Though it still hurt like hell. Clearly, Pain resistence didn't apply on self-incurred wounds.

One might wonder why Leo did such a crazy thing. The reason was simple. He needed to be still conscidered a human.

"There you are Dragonrose!!!" the one yelling from depths of her lungs was none other then the girl Leo trapped in his Dimension home a way back.

"An ogre girl with black hairs… uuuuh, what's your name again?"

"How rude! I am Kuon Von Karna! And I will defeat you right here right now!"

As she declared so, Leo moved past her.

"H-hey! I'm talking to you Dragonrose!!!"

"Huh?!" Leo released his intimidation, which made her flinch, even though Leo was holding back quite a bit. "If this scared you then get lost, I don't have time for weaklings— Alette there is a molester ten meters behind you."

"Death penalty…" a death cold voice answeared him from other side of the communication spell.

"Just don't go too far. I can't protect all your shenenigance in broad light."

"Urgh… fine."

"Good girl."

With another person captured and a fresh graduatee saved, Leo and his friends stepped up the game, cleaning the school grounds of everyone with criminal titles and stopping crimes where ever they could.

"Will you go back to the town?" Captain asked Leo, her hairs swaying to her face.

"I think I had enough of festivities back there. The school festival is quite refreshing in it's own right," Leo smiled at her and checked on the captured targets in his Dimension home. They were separated from other prisoners he had there from before and his tamed monsters. There guys needed to be presented to the guards, after all.

In that moment, Leo recieved a message from Kiira, who was patrolling outside the school grounds.

"Now that you mention it, I guess I will take a small walk to my shop. I'll be back in an hour or two."

"Alright, I will keep up with you, no need to worry!" Captain hit her chest with a fist which made her breasts jiggle.

Why did I felt as if cold stares were hitting me from all sides just now? Leo got a little confused, but continued his way from the school grounds.

***

A man dressed in black clothes and cape run through back alley. Currently he was followed by a black masked woman in white army uniform. Her hairs were hidden by cape and her eyes were shining with golden color.

"Shit to think that they will be up to us!" the man cursed as he tried to run.

He changed his route, but another woman appeared before him.

"Shit! Envelop me, oh wind!«Wind step»"

"«Lightning»" another voice ring through the air and a bolt of electricity hit the man who just tried to escape to the skies.

"Gruben Carlos. Age thirty two, level thirty four. Affiliated with former crown prince of Beastman kingdom in last ten years and Holy knight of Paulisia kingdom before that for six years. Currently serial killer known as Mage slayer. You've run out of luck the moment you decided to target princess Gloriosa," a man in black suit with white necktie and gray shirt smiled under his black mask. Unlike the others, his hairs were covered by blackish smoke, that spread to the back of his body, which gave it look of a ragged cloak.

"Grrrr," the man flinged out a dagger, but before he could do anything with it, his hand which was holding it, turned to stone.

"Grraaaaaaaagh!!!"

"Painful right? You better fess up everything you know."

"Screw you!" the man fought through his pain, while sitting on the ground.

The man in the black kicked him in his chin and made him fall on his back. He walked to Gruben's side and smashed the petrified hand by stomping on it.

"Aaaaargh!"

"Don't try to get people notice you by screaming. I placed «Sound disruption» barrier over this alley. No sound will escape this place."

"Geh! What dayya want then?"

"Information. Give me information."

"I will never speak! Never will I sell out a client!"

"Hah-hah-hah-hah. Oh, sorry, sorry. I forgot to tell you," the masked man grabbed Gruben by his head, almost crushing it in the process, "That was an order. Fail to carry out an order and you can guess what will happened."

"He have family. A wife and two little daughters," third woman that just appeared from another alley while dragging a body behind her, said with her eyes glowing pinkishly.

"Oh, really? Well, lucky us! If we give him to royals he will be executed alongside his beloved family!"

"Y-you monster!!!"

"Me? Ho-ho, you haven't seen anything yet," the masked man laughed softly, "You see, I'm not as nice as a certain Dragon slayer, who hunted down the bandits alongside the main roads. I will drag your family into this. Like it or not, you will either not see them ever again or see them at your execution site."

What was scary about the masked man's voice, were not the words he said, but the light humorous tone he said them with. And to Gruben, they were like knives stabbing him, with precision to leave him barely alive.

"Can we locate them?"

"30th coin street. Wild Rabbit's inn. Room two. Zero. Five," the pink eyed woman said with a cold look in her eyes.

"Hmm… I see, I see. Who want's to go there?"

The hands of the three women rised up in one calm motion.

"Alright, shadow one you go first. Don't be too reserved about calling for backups."

"You know good well I won't need them, lord Kogane," the one called Shadow one bowed politely and disappeared on spot.

"Well, we should be going too," the one called Kogane strached his back and grabbed Gruben by his head.

The world got dyed by darkish purple and before Gruben's eyes the world changed from the familiar dirty back alley into clean gray space. The place was weird by eyery mean of the word. There were glass-like tubes filled with greenish liquid in which he could recognize human-like beings floating motionless. There were tubes all over the place glowing with different lights, leading the liquids to other places, yet unseen.

"Wh-what kind of hell is this?!"

"Oh, noting to worry about. The people you see here are nothing more then trash of human society. In other words, your friends from the crime guild."

"The Muscle guru Mash. Devastator Gilli. Jack the Slicer. Andy the— oh, he's already melted… well that's fine, I guess."

"Huh?! H-how did you…"

"Capture them? Easily, to be honest. Every single person in this world have something they wish to hide from the world. I use these hidden things of thugs like you to force them into working for me. Though, the work is being my test subject," Kogane smiled under his mask.

"Wh-what kind of test subject?"

"Body strenghtening pills. Mana hightening pills, soul transplantation, you name it!"

"S-soul transplantation?!"

"Ah, you see, I was experimenting with undead monsters, and I found out that even after being taken all life force, aka Soul power, some undead remain in the mortal plane. Care to guess why that was?"

"I… no, were there… lingering feelings?"

"Ding. Ding. Ding! We have a correct answear! Yes, Soul power isn't the only thing that exists in human body! While having zero SP leads to instant death, it does not mean the soul is taken away too! Taking away the SP makes the soul powerless, but not dead. What a discovery!"

"You're a true monster!!! What do you even need that information for?!"

"Oh, no. I'm worse," Kogane's face suddenly appeared next to Gruben's, "But I have a code I follow. I would never put my hands on innocent. But if by turning you into a test subject I can save more people then what you criminals killed, I will be satisfied. Though, it pains me to make children orphans, I'm sure there will be an orphanage that would take them in."

"Huh?! What are you talking about?! My wife—"

"Is same gangster as you, if not worse," the pink eyed said frankly.

"What?! That's impossible!"

"Does the name Lilly of the Valley say something to you?"

There was no way Gruben could not know. Lilly of the Valley was a famous woman in the western parts of the Ostillian kingdom. During just one night she sliced throats of every man in her village and burned them on one giant pile. Ever since that day she was murdering men and burning them to her heart's content, yet four years ago she disappeared. Coincidentally, it was exactly at the time he met his wife.

"Interesting your wife was okay with traveling all over the place even when pregnant, right?"

"No… NO! That's impossible! Something like that is simply impossible!"

The smiling face of his wife appeared in Gruben's mind, many images appeared on top of each other, and the thought that all of that was fake slowly took root in back of his mind.

"Oh, it seems they arrived."

Not even a second later a woman called Shadow One came from distorted space with "I'm baaaack~" while dragging a motionless body behind her.

"I must say I arrived just at the right time. Even a second later and the city guards would got her before me," Shadow One smiled happily and threw the body she was dragging behind her next to Gruben.

"Good work, Shadow One. Now, wake up Lilly of the Valley! It's time for you to be judged!"

The body flinched at the mention of the name and glared at Kogane.

"Geh! What an ugly face."

Gruben could not belive his eyes, the one making such a disgusting face was his wife, everything Kogane just said was true, his mind started to shatter.

"Watch your toungue," Shadow One stepped on her and blood escaped the woman's mouth.

"Well, Lilly of the Valley, your crimes are... murder of eighty seven males, two females and fifteen children. Burning down two villages and destoying crops in worth of two hundread gold coins. Fufu, care to imagine what got you uncovered?"

"Some bug?" the woman spit blood on ground, trying to hit Kogane, but was clearly unable too.

"You let your brother live. Fufufu, I never though he would go stright to city guards after seeing you arrive in capital. Quite a good thing that the guard was on my pay check," Kogane smiled under his mask.

"Well, let me get stright to the point now. You have two options before you right now. First, we will torture you, get the information we want from you and deliver you to the guards. Which would mean you will be executed and your daughters will be treated as criminal slaves. Or your second option is that you will give us the information we want and we will use you as test subjects. That way you will feel less pain and your daughters will be taken to normal orphanage, oh, and did I mention it's without torture?"

"Screw you! First I will slice your throat and burn you then I will have fun with those girls!" at the words of Gruben's wife, the girls started to laugh.

"Huh?! What's so funny?!"

"You see," Kogane stood next to her and placed a hand on her head.

"Gh–Gyyyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!!!"

"Wh-what did you do to her?!"

"Oh, this? It's a ghost magic spell called (Phantom pain). It iflicts target with pain it delivered to others. Though, there must be physical contact and I recieve some of that pain too… well, whatever. My pain resistance is sky high so it doesn't affect me that much."

"S-stop it! I will tell you everything!" Gruben begged, his head grazing the concrete cold floor.

"I'm listening."

***

The first day of the festival ended with a great success. The guards delivered all the would be attackers and kidnappers to city prison and the Dragonrose household returned home.

"Urgh… I'm beat…"

"Me too."

"Me three…"

When Leo lay on his bed, Taru and Kiira placed their heads on his shoulders, snugging to him while hugging his torso.

"You two… move a little…" Nina fell to the bed, taking her place from other side of Leo's hand where Kiira was laying, hugging Leo's arm.

"Nina, your turn will come tomorrow."

"But I'm tired today," she ignored Taru and snuggled against Leo's shoulder.

Currently, the girls living in Dragonrose mansion were changing in turns in Leo's bed every night. Today's turn was Tarus and tommorows was Ninas.

"Nina, I'm sorry for making you read minds of thugs like today," Leo looked apologetic, and would probably even bow, but he was so tired that he could barely move. Plus the girls were on top of him.

"It's okay. We need to clean the streets so everyone can walk on them safely. If it's for safety of children, then I have no trouble using it."

Uprooting the criminal organizations was bigger task then Leo originally planned. Becouse the criminals never walk out on the light and Kogane was keeping them out of the sight at nights, they had hard time capturing them as themselves. That of course meant that Kogane had to move even in daytime now.

"Well, this time we managed to get big fish… but who would have thought that a noble of Knightly kingdom was backing the Golden Quince… and ordering that attack too…"

"What was his name again? Duke Mol-something?"

"It's Duke Motorou, Kiira…"

"Yeah. That guy. What do we know 'bout him?" Kiira said with actually no interest in the guy as she deeply inhale Leo's scent.

"He's eighteen and former fiancée of Gloriosa. Also he is son of a king, but he suceeded his grandfather's position."

"Wasn't position og Gloriosa's fiancée Rinbell's?"

"The same nobles who pushed for the break of the engagement with Rinbell jointly choose this Motorou guy as a replacement. But Gloriosa during the first meeting summoned an army of monsters to protect herself and said that if they will be engaged then she will order the monsters to attack her."

"She's kinda brave for her age," Alette, a new bed-diver and shoulder snuggler, said with a Hmph sound.

"Yeah… though I need to question why have they not realized it yet. He seems like only person holding grudge agains her… unless idiots."

"Someone is on his paycheck," Taru snaped her fingers and looked up to the cieling.

"That's the most likely scenerio. Kiira, Alette you are on guard duty tomorrow right? Could you inform the princess that we are [Getting closer.], [The perpetrator of the attacks will be revealed soon alongside his aids.] and [We got solid information]?"

"Sure."

"Leave it to me~"

The girls snuggled against Leo and like this they all fell asleep.

Still, Leo even though he was tired, could not forget his memory from his last visit of the Divine realm.

Like every month-or-so he came to the cathedral to pray and was pulled into Divine realm by the Skill god.

"Yo! It's been a month again, right Leo?" Skill god waved at him and urged him to take a seat infront of him.

"Yes, it was. Here Darkness goddess, I've brought you the cookies you've asked for," Leo took his seat like he always did and took out a basket filled with, as dark as starless night, cookies.

"Thanks a'bunch! Here drink up!" merry as always when Leo showed up, the Darkness goddess dig in and the cookies disappeared almost instantly.

"I belive I've never meet you two before, my name is Leonard Dragonrose, an apostole of Lord Skill god."

"I'm Goddess of Judgement, I belive you've already heard about me."

"From Alette. You gave her your blessing and [King] skill."

"Yes that is correct."

"Can I ask why? She's not like me, she was born and raised in this world, after all."

"Question that's easy to answear. I wanted to have a champion of my own."

"You see, her former champion became a goddess herself so she's looking for a new one," Skill god gave additional information.

"Huuuuh? A champion became a goddess, that sounds interesting."

"Well, you can ask her, she's sitting right here," Skill god pointed at the girl next to goddess of Judgement, a petite looking girl with big blue eyes and short pink colored hairs.

"I'm goddess of reincarnation... nice to meet you..." she hide behind Judgement goddess and peeked at Leo from there.

"As you can see, she still needs to grow, she's little and weak, sadly, sometimes a soul wanders from one side to another without us noticing… well anyway, you helped us with soul cleaning so we both decided to give you a small blessing."

"Un. Soul cleaning is important," the girl nodded her head behind the goddess of Judgement

"Soul cleaning?"

"They erase the skills and SP from the soul before sending it down for another round," Skill god smiled.

"I see, so becouse I'm using my Greed to take SP and skills from criminals, only thing you need to do is errase memories, right?"

"Exactly, you catch on quick," Goddess of Judgement smiled and nodded with big sattisfied grin.

"Well, there is one thing I want to ask. Don't you think, that if Alette only fights monsters, she will be only known as monster hunter? Like me, she's hunting criminals undercover as one of the [Shadow numbers]. So, I think that she can't be a proper champion without stepping into light."

"Uhh… that may be right… honestly, I can't think of a way to bring her to light."

"I have an idea, though I will be taining my image as Kogane, though it's a fake identity so there is no reason for it to be only a good guy."

"You want to have her fight you and then step in as an apostole… that's one heck of a plan," the skill god smiled.

"Only thing is to get her to fight instead of Dragon Slayer."

"That's a crazy idea… but you will be fine, I guess."

"Un… good one…" the Reincarnation goddess suddenly appeared infront of me under the table smiling at me.

***

Name: Leonard Hirano Dragonrose
Level: 58
Race: Majin (unawakened)
Titles: Third son, Father’s boy, Reincarnator, Natural enemy of monsters, Favorite child of Skill god, Destroyer, Natural predator, Apostole of Skill god, For the peace, Event orchestrator, Dragon slayer, Count, Prodigy, Thief of maidens hearts, Trickster, Tamer of disaster, Friend of Darkness Goddess, God's drinking buddy, Friend of Goddess of Reincarnation

Skills:

Unique: King of greed, King of wisdom, Loyalty, Spell weaver, Indomitable, Lord’s ambition, Soul binding

Supreme: Auto-heal (10), Magic power armor (10), Fly (8), Water manipulation (9), Water walking (8), Invisibility (6), Crate wing (8), Dragon breath (5), Nature manipulation (7), Iron stomach (5), Wind reading (3), Evil eye (Magic sight) (4), Soul manipulation (1)

Exra rare: Increased mana recovery (10), Increased stamina recovery (10), Magic manipulation (10), Space magic (10), Void magic (9), Petrification gaze (10), Hide presence (10), Sense presence (10), Shock absorbtion (7), Light step (8), Shadow walk (8), Nature magic (8), Ghost magic (4), Intimidation (10), Angel flash technique (10), Demon sword technique (10), Contract (3)

Rare: Fire magic (10), Water magic (10), Wind magic (10), Earth magic (10), Ice magic (10), Lightning magic (10), Metal magic (10), Item box (10), Transmute (10)

Uncommon: Quick feet (10), Etique (10), Hereditary (10), Taming (5), Sense temperature (9), Mithril skin (1), Charge (9), Ostilian slashing technique (10), Unmovable Kastena technique (10), Mist sword technique (10)

Common: Leap (10), Kick (10), Hand to hand combat (10), Swordsmanship (10), Animal training (6), Marksmanship (10), Keen hearing (10), Spearmanship (10), Metalwork (10), Long sight (10), Cooking (8)

Blessings: Skill god (10), Magic goddess (9), War god (9), Merchant god (9), Alchemy god (8), Goddess of Reincarnation (8), Water goddess (8), Fire god (7), Wind god (6), Earth goddess (5), Goddess of Love (4), Goddess of Judgement (1)

Thus, Leo's titles and blessings got even more crazy, but it would take more time for anyone to notice.

***

The next day, the group was once again scouting the area of the school.

"I told ya to fess up already. You are the one who spreads those nasty rumors eh?"

A group of human students was ganging upon a familiar looking wingman girl.

"Leo?" Nina looked little surprised seeing Leo's face.

"I've got this… urgh, this is second time I'm saving her and I still don't even know her name…"

"You are the one behind those rumor right? C'mon! Fess up already!" one of the bullies tried to kick her, but Leo grabbed his leg before it could swing down and pulled back.

"Oi! You know that your actions here will not be overlooked right?!" Leo shouted at the boy he made fall face first on the ground.

"Yhou… Dhragoonrhoshe! Yhou should be on ourh shide!"

"On side with bullies? You want me to be sullied by your garbage?!" a vein poped on Leo's forehead.

"Huh?!"

Leo released his intimidation in non-lethal dosage as he looked the bully in the eyes and said: "The rule number one of the school is that everyone is equal. It's not just school rule, it's also Royal edict, if what you did here get's known, then forget about inheriting titles of your families. Now scram."

The bullies, terrified by Leo's calm, yet threatning voice, left the side in a hurry.

"Aah, that's more like it. Hey there, I'm Leonard Dragonrose, vice-captain of the Disciplinary comitee, but please call me Leo," Leo swiched tunes as easily as he breathed.

"Y-yesh! I'm Lothrena Kalia! You can call me Lothi, sir Dragonrose!"

"L-E-O."

"L-Sir Leo…"

"Better then before. So, what it was this time?" Leo asked while Taru was using (Aqua heal) on Lothi.

"Um… I'm, daughter of Chevalier Kalia one of the chevaliers under Earl Blaublat… well, as you can see I'm not that strong when it cames to fighting… and my magic is mediocre as well… so people usually pick on me."

She doesn't conscider good looks an advantage… I guess her father was the only one who raised her… Leo made himself a picture about the girl, that was weirdly on spot.

"That would explain the ogre girls, but what about today?"

"Ahh, they were probably interested in our club…"

"That was not a way to ask about a club."

"Ah… hahahah, I guess so?" the girl scrached the back of her head.

Is this girl even bigger airhead then me? Leo got a little confused.

"Ah! I have an idea! Why don't you came and have a look sir Leo?" Lothi clasped Leos hands and looked up to him.

"Oi! Space!"

"Hm. Make space."

Taru and Nina got between the two of them.

"It's fine. I'm interested in this club of yours."

"Y-yesh! Pleashe follow me!" Lothi stuttered and lead the way with machine like motion.

The place she lead them to was an old club room in the most faraway wing in the secondary building of the academy. It wasn't run down, it still hold a proper look for academy run by royalty, but it was clear that this place was not visited by maintenance staff in long time. The doors to the club room, while being relatively new, still screeched when Lothi opened them.

On the other side, a enormous room filled with books, tables and one giant, yet crude statue of man holding a sword could be seen. Said statue was decorated with paint that resembled the Disciplinary comitee uniform and the place where hairs should been was painted brown. Is that supposed to be me? Leo though looking at the dimensionless paints on the statue.

"Captain!" some girls smiled as they went inside the room, "We are so glad you are okay! When those guys appeared…" the girls were holding Lothi's hands dearly.

"You seem rather popular here," Leo stepped in the room, revealing his face to everyone in the room.

"S-sir Dragonrose!" the people yelled in surprise, some of the girls even squeek in delight.

"The hell is this…" Kiira who suddenly appeared, was lost for words when she saw the sight.

"Kiira? What the hell are you doing here?"

"I felt something dangerous was getting closer so I decided to step in… but I never expected this thing… what even is this?"

"The Dragonrose and friends appreciation club!" Lothi smiled happily and puffed up her cheeks, "Or DFAC for short!"

"Uh... don't mind us... we are just patrolling..." Leo gave an uncertain wave.

Looking at the people here I notice that everyone here is someone I helped in the past. Most of these guys were targets of bullying and discrimination... huh? The ogre princess?!

As Leo walked through the room, he noticed a black haired ogre girl who he defeated many times in duels she throw at him.

"I must find something... something to use against him... so I could finally claim victory..." she was muttering as she was intensly reading a book.

Taking an interest, Leo picked one book at random and opened it. And that was a mistake.

The book was filled with pictures of him that someone draw.

"This... this looks almost like... nah, they couldn't reach her that quickly... unless..."

Indeed, the pictures looked so glorified that Leo almost didn't recognized himself, but what he managed to recognize was the hanwriting of the author.

Leo walked through this bizzare room and found a small, almost hidden place where the members of the club were sitting around one central figure.

"As I said, only once in his life Leo looked afraid. That was when a Paralyzing moth fell to our garden. Back then he called onto me and Noel to help him."

"OOOOOoooooh!" the audience looked completly captivated by the girls words.

"MINA?!"

"Ack! H-hey there Leo... what are you doing here?" Mina, Leo's big sister and the student council president was the one who was preaching about Leo's good qualities to the club members.

"I'm doing my job, patrolling. But what about you? You said you have important thing to take care off," Leos smile was stiffened a little, while he also tried to hide his embarrassment.

"Well, this is the important thing I had to take care of. They wanted to hear more about you."

"You still have work to do," Leo smiled, but now the smile was flat out cold.

Grabbing Mina by the collar of her white uniform Leo dragged her out and carried her to the student council room and for the rest of the day he made sure Mina finished her duties.

*AN: For Americans, football = soccer