While Angus is venturing across the snowy land, Duchess Amberblaze is finally awake after a half day of rest. Upon waking up, she finds her love of life embracing her near a fire pit.
With her sharp perception and her vigilance habit, she already knows they are inside an inhabited cave somewhere in the Frostfall territory. Yet, she ignores her surroundings and looks at King Leon's blue eyes.
"Leon..." said Extalia meekly.
"Ssshhtt... It's okay. You don't need to say anything. Just focus on getting better." said King Leon gently.
"B-But..." said Extalia as she wanted to argue.
Unfortunately, King Leon's sharp glaze filled with concern is enough to close her mouth and take comfort in his arm. The two stay silent while enjoying each other's warmth under the cold weather. After a while, they heard a familiar childish sound.
Hearing this familiar chanting song, King Leon couldn't help but grimace. The somber and melancholy atmosphere is gone like the wind as the couple finds Twin Gemini wearing some ritual clothes and singing Rain Falling Down continuously.
Furthermore, the Twin Gemini deliberately stops in front of the fire pit. They circle around like some kind of tribal dancing.
"Pfftt... Hahaha..." laughed Extalia at the funny scene.
Seeing the smiling Extalia, King Leon also smiles and finds that the arrival of the twin Gemini is not so bad. Though their song is quite annoying.
Most people in the Royal Palace even prefer the Twin Gemini do their usual mischievous prank rather than sing this torturous song day and night.
"So, are they planning to call a rain?" asked Extalia.
"Well, there is another star spirit coming. According to the monthly schedule, it should be the goat star spirit, Capricorn. I am unsure how, but the twin knew he didn't like water and tried to call rain to prevent him from coming. Though it never rains until now." said King Leon.
"Pfftt... Hahahaha... I guess they keep singing it along all day." laughed Extalia.
"Yup. They are even singing it during our yearly noble meeting." said King Leon.
"Noble meeting.... Leon. H-How are they?" asked Extalia with struggle.
"It's fine. As usual, the news about the incident has already spread fast, and some overconfident nobles are trying to raise their arms." said King Leon.
"It takes me another few days to pacify them for doing something reckless." added King Leon.
"I am sorry. It's..." said Extalia with guilt.
"Don't worry about it. Besides, this is not the worst scenario. Also, thanks to this incident, we could know about those guardians' combat power. I never expected they could hide three or probably more sixth grade under our noses." said King Leon.
"*Sigh* It seems all my work over the last decade is a waste. First is Roy's betrayal, and now Otebon deliberately hides the guardian."
"No wonder our kingdom's future is always doomed, no matter how much effort I made in the past. The real problem comes from within us in the first place." said King Leon.
"No, Leon. You have done your best. No, King is wiser and braver than you." said Extalia.
"You are right. Now, it is not the time to lament about the past. We should think about how to solve our current problem first." said King Leon.
"So, what's the plan?" asked Extalia.
The twin Gemini suddenly jumps and holds King Leon's shoulder on its side while still chanting the same words. *Rain Falling Down~* *Rain Falling Down~* King Leon said nothing at their sudden movement. He still held Extalia like a princess before [Blink] from the spot.
*CRACK* *BOOOM* Suddenly, they hear a large cracking sound and a booming explosion. The next moment, Extalia realizes they are flying in the air just outside the Frostfall City wall.
A massive crack in the space appeared behind King Leon as he released a tremendous mana that shook the whole city. *BRRMMM* The scene would be very menacing if not for the twin mischievous girls who keep chanting Rain Falling Down with their usual childish tone.
Still, it didn't take a genius to figure out that King Leon, the number one person in the Heart Kingdom, is furious. Extalia was also surprised at King Leon's sudden movement and action. However, she also didn't stop her beloved King either.
Although she still prefers not to use violence, she is also butchering the previous city guards coldly during her previous distraught. Now, she will trust her beloved King and support him silently.
As King Leon descends from the air slowly, the mana pressure around him gets stronger. Some new city guards couldn't even hold against the pressure and fainted on the spot. While the others are trembling and slump on the ground.
When King Leon and Duchess Amberblaze touch the ground, Count Flamewaver and the nearby guardian member are already waiting for them with trembling bodies.
"Y-Your Highness..." called Count Flamewaver.
"What are you doing, Count Flamewaver?!!" called King Leon coldly.
"M-My Liege, t-this is..." replied the Count.
Before Count Flamewaver finished his sentence, "Aren't your guards not going to check on me?!!" asked King Leon loudly.
Each word King Leon said reverberates across the city.
"H-Huh?!!" replied Count Flamewaver in confusion.
"Didn't you love your rules and regulations?!! Then, why are all of you just standing there?! A person is coming out of nowhere outside your city and you just do NOTHING!!!" shouted King Leon.
"HAH!! Are these your guards that you trained to obey the rules and regulations, Count Flamewaver?!" added King Leon with a sarcastic tone.
Hearing this sentence, Count Flamewaver could only lower his head in fear. But, the guardian member behind them feels humiliated by King Leon's words. The King's words are making fun of their teaching and code simultaneously.
Still, they could only grit their teeth and grip their fist tightly. Unfortunately, King Leon's sharp perception could easily see this small gesture. *BLINK* *SPLASH* *SPLASH* *SPLASH*
Before anyone could notice, King Leon disappeared from his spot as the guardian members turned into minced meat.
"It's been a while... No, the last time someone tried to grip their fist tightly in front of me, they were having a duel with me and could receive a few attacks from me. Well, it seems not everyone is as good as them." said King Leon with a mocking smile.
"M-Monster!!" called the surviving guardian member.
*SWISSHH* *BANG* Before the surviving guardian could utter another sentence, an intense fire spear pierced his head and killed him instantly. The flying fire spear is coming from the Count Flamewaver himself with a cold expression.
As the head of the Extermination Squad, he knows calling King Leon a monster in front of his face is a crime punished by death. He also knows showing hostile movement, like gripping a fist in front of King Leon, is also a crime. It could even be interpreted as a sign of attack.
Although this is a ruthless law and regulation, what King Leon did is also not wrong since Frostfall County still belongs to the Heart Kingdom and they should obey its law. Still, the Count knows King Leon deliberately acts like this because of the previous incident.
He knows King Leon will keep pushing the law and regulation boundary against him until he creates his own mistake. This action will humiliate Count Flamewaver and trample the people's beliefs in this County.
"Y-Your Highness, I apologize. The previous incident is..." said Count Flamewaver in a hurry while kneeling.
"Count Flamewaver." called King Leon coldly as he cut his sentence again.
The Count could only raise his head and look at King Leon anxiously.
"Where is your guard?! Aren't your regulations telling you to inspect any suspicious person? Be it a commoner, noble, or even the King himself. Chop-Chop! We don't have all day to do this." said King Leon sarcastically.
'Damn!! He is holding a grudge against the previous incident.' thought Count Flamewaver inwardly.
At this moment, Count Flamewaver notices the King's cold glare and feels like a mountain falls onto his shoulder. Despite telling the count to check on him, King Leon never released his pressure. In fact, he slowly increased it and even cracked the ground below.
*GROOOWLL* Just as everyone feels suffocated under this pressure, a loud monster howls are heard from the distance. King Leon glanced at the incoming Gram monster with the shape of a giant ape charging towards him.
'A Gram this far from the Everwhite?' thought King Leon inwardly without releasing his mana pressure.
*BLINK* *BOOOM* In a split second, King Leon disappeared on his spot and a loud explosion was heard in the distance. A few seconds later, the King was already back in his previous spot, pressuring the whole area again.
Since King Leon killed a Gram monster in the distance without mercy, everyone feels the pressure of containing not only mana but also strong killing intent. Most of the guards and the rest of the hiding guardian members have already fainted on the spot, leaving only a few of them.
*Step* *Step* *Step* King Leon walks slowly at the trembling Count Flamewaver.
"Is this all, Count Flamewaver? Hmph!! Guess all of you are lucky. That brat didn't show his true fang. Otherwise, you will think dying now is better." said King Leon.