The Second Strongest Has Returned

Chapter 66

The Senate

The journey back from the Magic Tower was considerably faster than the trip there.

No matter how fast a train might be, it couldn’t surpass the instantaneous teleportation provided by a Warp Gate.

Originally, they could have taken the train, but given the unpleasant memories associated with it, they chose the Warp Gate instead.

Upon returning to the family estate, they were met with a sea of worried gazes.

It was only natural, considering they had been up against a Dark Wizard Clay Shaper who was under a bounty, and Jehad, the outcast from the family. It would have been stranger if no one was concerned.

This tale had even turned into a heroic saga, spreading throughout the entire kingdom. As a warrior family, their reputation was more than sufficient to support such legends.

However, the people involved didn’t seem particularly pleased about it.

* * *

[Why the long face?]

The Sage, floating near Leo, quietly asked.

Where they were headed was the room of Gladio Reinhardt, the head of the Reinhardt family.

[So what? You’ve been there before.]

At that time, he had been young and hadn’t caused much of a commotion, at least by his standards. But now, it was different.

[True… This isn’t something that will just blow over.]

Bringing the young lady along on a personal vacation was bad enough, but getting into a fight with a Clay Shaper was something that couldn’t be taken lightly.

Whether it would be a reward or punishment, there would undoubtedly be repercussions.

[No father would just let go of a man who kissed his daughter.]

<…>

Leo, who didn’t think much better of himself than the person making that comment, simply turned his head.

[Still, that family head seems flexible enough. Maybe he’ll let it slide after a few stabs.]

<…Even if the family head is flexible, those old men won’t be.>

In terms of rank, the family head was the master of the family, responsible for leading and upholding its dignity.

But the family also had an organization meant to keep such a head in check.

[…There are always those kinds of people, in any era. Old folks who think they know everything just because they’ve lived a little longer.]

<…>

The words were true, but given who said them, it was hard to nod in agreement or chime in.

[Don’t look at me like that.]

With that, Leo turned his gaze away from the living fossil of an ancient era, who found the elders of the Senate pitiful.

[So what’s going to happen? Are you getting kicked out?]

Even the Senate held no significant threat to Leonardo.

He had plenty of things to rely on and had even prepared hidden cards for such situations, so there was nothing to worry about.

[The Senate is just like any old folks’ home.]

[That’s the whole point of badmouthing.]

It was a response that reflected wisdom gained through years of experience—an interpretation so seasoned that it commanded instant recognition.

—

[Anyway, do your best. After all, old folks are the same wherever you go.]

—

In this situation, would it be rude to agree, or would it be ruder to offer a counterargument?

If there were a list of the greatest dilemmas of all time, this contradiction would surely claim the top spot.

As they exchanged this trivial banter, Leonardo arrived in front of the family head’s room.

He began to take deep breaths.

He needed to release even the tension buried deep in his subconscious to fully prepare himself for what lay ahead.

—

“Excuse me.”

—

With a knock, Leo stood before the family head.

“You’re here, Leonardo.”

The head of the family sat at his seat, sipping tea lightly. Beside him, Alfred the butler was brewing tea with a similar aroma.

“Would you like some lemon tea?”

“Yes, I’ll gladly have some.”

At his words, Alfred personally poured tea into Leonardo’s cup. The refreshing scent of lemon, which filled the air, helped ease the tension that even deep breathing hadn’t completely dispelled.

“I’ve heard the story. I understand you went through quite an ordeal at the Magic Tower. Are you alright?”

“Thanks to the family’s grace, I was able to return safely.”

His tone was noticeably different from usual—polished and formal, yet with an underlying confidence.

“To have found two pieces of the Sage’s Legacy, along with securing a special magic permit… Even with the family’s support, it wouldn’t have been easy. But since it’s you, I can believe it.”

The recent dark wizard’s terrorist incident overshadowed it, but even before that, what he had accomplished at the Magic Tower was unprecedented, both there and in other noble families.

“It was largely thanks to the diligent efforts of a graduate student at the Magic Tower.”

By giving credit to Ameri even in front of the masters of the Magic Tower, Leonardo had managed to deflect some of the attention away from himself.

“Miss Ameri, is it? Rios spoke of her so much that I remember the name well.”

“I plan to express my gratitude to her properly at a later time.”

“Perhaps I should do the same. I’ve heard she had quite a hard time keeping Rios out of trouble at the Magic Tower.”

Leo could easily imagine it. That Ameri Esph was so close to Rios likely had something to do with the trouble he caused.

“And how about the injuries you sustained during the terrorist incident at the Magic Tower? Are you alright?”

“Though I may lack in some areas, I am still a knight of Reinhardt. I wouldn’t bring shame to the family over such a matter.”

“If you claim to be lacking, that would be a problem. If that were true, half the knights would be out of a job.”

Did he mean that excessive humility could be considered deceitful?

He might not be wrong. In fact, if Leonardo were to be a bit arrogant, it was unlikely that any knight working for the family, whether direct or branch, could defeat him.

“But, in truth, I did put the young lady in danger, so I can’t be too confident about it.”

At those words, Gladio placed his empty cup down and sighed.

—

“…I apologize. Embarrassingly, I felt relieved after hearing what you said.”

—

If it weren’t for the strong lemon scent, such a statement might have made Leo nervous. From this point on, they were getting to the heart of the matter.

—

“The Senate intends to hold a hearing regarding you. They believe you bear some responsibility for the Dark Wizard and the demon.”

—

At first glance, this seemed like a completely absurd notion. In truth, Leo had played a major role in quelling the entire incident, so it wouldn’t have been out of place to reward him.

—

—

[If you thought the Magic Tower was rotten, it turns out everything’s equally decayed.]

—

—

For example, discovering that the ancient sage who pioneered magic, single-handedly defeated a dragon, gathered spirits, and purified an island was actually a senile old narcissist prone to spewing curses, was one such disappointment.

—

“No matter how much I tried to persuade them, I couldn’t change the elders’ minds.”

“No, it’s alright. I had a feeling this wouldn’t be an easy issue to resolve.”

—

As he said this, Leo took another sip of his lemon tea. The warmth and sweetness of the lemon were, at times, more refreshing than a cold juice.

—

“When will the hearing take place?”

“Although it’s sudden, the Senate refused to allow any period of reprieve.”

—

In Gladio’s hand was a black case. He opened the lid and took out a single sheet of parchment. With Leo’s familiarity with magic, he immediately recognized what the parchment was.

—

“A scroll.”

—

It was a scroll that contained a teleportation spell.

—

“There’s no Warp Gate leading to the Senate. The only way to reach it is with this scroll.”

—

The Senate was a gathering place for the ancient heroes who knew the secrets beyond the veil of Reinhardt. Even among those affiliated with Reinhardt’s knights, only a few knew of its location.

—

“Shall I depart immediately, then?”

“…You’re confident. No hesitation at all.”

“I simply judged that worrying wouldn’t solve anything.”

—

At those words, the family head let out a small chuckle. It wasn’t a mocking laugh, but rather a smile of relief, as if reassured that his concerns had been unnecessary.

—

“Then let’s begin at once. Alfred, if you please.”

—

It was Alfred who picked up the scroll. With gloved hands, he unrolled it.

—

“We shall begin now, Leonardo.”

—

Light began to flow from the scroll’s markings. The light and colors were similar to those seen at the Warp Gate.

But since this was a scroll made for transport, Leo didn’t expect the teleportation to be particularly gentle.

—

Zing

—

With a strange sound, the light enveloped his body. The sensation was as if his body were flipping and being hurled in all directions. This wasn’t just a lack of courtesy—it felt like the intention was to torment him.

“Ugh…”

Thud.

The place where he fell was a soft but cold snowfield. Although it cushioned his impact, the occasional ice granules mixed in with the snow scraped against his skin, causing discomfort.

[It has gotten colder… but is it already snowing this much?]

Not only the area where he landed, but the entire surroundings were covered in snow. Considering the seasonal change, it was unusually strange, just as the Sage had said.

The area where the Elder Council resided was protected by a barrier, making it difficult to find or leave.

The surroundings were much like the northern regions, where it constantly snowed, making both movement and rest challenging.

[If you knew, why didn’t you wear something thicker?]

This was obviously better than being struck by lightning. Moreover, by slightly utilizing fire and wind magic, he could create a makeshift heater.

“Well then…”

Leo quietly turned to the other side. Opposite him stood an elderly man, incongruously dressed in a luxurious and dignified butler’s uniform, which did not match the snowy landscape.

“It seems you already expected this, Leonardo.”

As Alfred removed his gloves, his scarred hands were revealed. These were not the kind of scars one could get from simple tea service or cleaning; in sheer number, they even surpassed Leonardo’s.

[…That old man wasn’t just a regular butler…]

Head Butler Alfred Sebastian.

His former occupation: a retired 6-star knight of the Reinhardt family.

“If I had just stood idly by after seeing these hands, I would’ve been dead a long time ago.”

“This is embarrassing. I usually cover them because I’m concerned about inconveniencing others.”

His hands clenched firmly. That brief action confirmed it.

If his head had been within that grip, his skull would have been crushed instantly, and if that fist had struck his head, it would’ve been reduced to an unrecognizable mess.

“In situations like this, not covering them is the polite thing to do, isn’t it?”

The pride of a martial artist was embedded in his scars.

[…Are we really going to fight right from the start?]

Was the Sage flustered by the sudden combat situation? He asked in a slightly off-kilter tone.

The head of the family had shown signs of worry, and there was a similar situation before his regression.

The knights summoned to the Elder Council for the first time were subject to a kind of test.

Those unworthy weren’t even allowed to step into the Elder Council of the family. To prove one’s worth, one had to overcome a trial that matched their qualifications.

Normally, the test would be to survive the harsh cold and reach the Elder Council through the forest.

Leonardo had long surpassed the level of an ordinary knight, so they seemed to have prepared special measures.

[…Are you going to fight? From your perspective…]

Though the Sage’s gaze grew colder than the blizzard, this was actually the wisest course of action. Facing a 6-star martial artist head-on was even more reckless than the situation with Jehad.

Reaching that level of core development meant not only the quantity of aura but also the mastery of combat sense, skill, and experience, making one a true expert in the field.

They had mistakenly assumed that Leo was unfamiliar with the terrain. He could use that misjudgment to his advantage, securing a favorable position for escape and countering.

Alfred readied his fist, signaling the start of the preliminary skirmish.

“Leonardo. Simply exchanging blows would be rather impolite, so let’s add a condition.”

The old butler spoke with a light smile.

“If you manage to land even a single hit on me, I’ll keep the kiss with Miss Ariasphil a secret from the head of the family…”

Clang!!

[…Hey… you…]

The plan he had just mentioned was completely scrapped. The current situation was highly unfavorable for him.

“…I’ll end this quickly.”

Before he even finished speaking, Leo had already launched a surprise attack, gripping his sword with both hands. The surprise attack from the sword was effortlessly deflected by Alfred’s fist.

[…You know this looks pathetic, right?]

What did that matter? Right now, all that mattered was focusing on the battle. His sword didn’t need such pride.

Leo’s sword was filled only with resolve.