Kayla had been pulling at Echel’s face, stretching his sharp-angled cheeks into the shape of a pancake. Infected by her granddaughter’s happiness, Echel also burst into silly laughter.

"Have you been resurrected, Grandfather Echel? You look even younger than my father... mother."

"In fact, he’s nothing more than a skeleton wrapped in skin." Reed grunted jealously beside Lyle, "If you pull any harder, you might even tear off the bastard’s face."

Reed’s words had a clear effect, and Kayla no longer touched his cheeks; she even stepped back a little in fear. If she really tore off her grandfather’s face, it would be a horrifying psychological shadow for her.

"Damn tin can, not even a skin can keep your sharp tongue sealed!"

"Yes, even my speech has become more incisive after I was able to flap my gums."

Kayla looked at the tall figure arguing with her grandfather and easily deduced the nature of their friendship. However, that didn’t mean she didn’t feel annoyed.

"Grandfather Echel, you haven’t introduced me to this one..."

"I forgot, though it’s no big deal," Echel shrugged, trying to pat Reed’s arm armor, but was brushed off, "This is Reed Dreya, the Dreya from next door." Echel’s tone sounded like he was introducing Old Ray from the next village.

"Reed Dreya? You mean... this is the founding king of Dreya from your era!!" Kayla’s voice rose several degrees and turned into a piercing cry like that of a cuckoo bird. "It’s no big deal! You should have told me from the beginning!" Kayla’s mind was in chaos, having completely abandoned the etiquette of a queen in front of a foreign monarch, and shame instantly crept onto her cheeks.

With her face flushed with embarrassment, Kayla feigned formality, "It’s an honor to have you visit Liveser, Your Majesty, the Knight King Reed Dreya."

Kayla had shown her respect, and Reed, in his view, also needed to offer some courtesy to this fine young lady. He took a deep breath and removed his helmet, revealing his true face.

In those aged eyes seemed to be stored mountains of corpses and seas of blood. Kayla even felt as if she heard the beat of war drums and the sound of horse hoofs. The dignity of a king descended upon the shoulders of the young Queen of Liveser.

"The Queen of Liveser, I..."

Smack! Under the horrified gaze of Lyle and Kayla, Echel, still smiling, slapped Reed across the face. Reed’s eyes filled with a mix of confusion and surprise as he looked at him.

"This is a family reunion, there’s no need for the etiquette of monarchs, only two old men returning home. Take it easy, dear Kayla."

Reed obviously didn’t see it that way – he threw his helmet to the ground and unsheathed a long sword from his waist, feeling more hurt by Echel’s action than if he had been slain.

Reed’s roar nearly pierced through all of Liveser.

"You old bastard! I will definitely turn you into mincemeat today!" The two elder figures, with more vitality than the younger generation, initiated a chaotic chase in the Liveser night.

"Don’t run! You damn monkey!!!"

"If you can catch me in Liveser, you dead son of a turtle, I’ll cut off my head and turn it into your piss pot!"

"You’re driving me insane!!!"

With a few leaps, the two disappeared outside the door, leaving two people looking at each other.

Facing Kayla’s concern, Lyle let out a relaxed laugh. "Don’t worry, Kayla, Mr. Echel and Mr. Reed are very good friends; this kind of thing happens to them all the time."

Kayla’s complexion improved slightly. She summoned several Rangers to follow the two fleeing figures and then was finally able to relax, complaining to Lyle like a friend.

"Grandfather Echel’s actions are always as bold as a Ranger. As his descendant, one needs to have a strong heart."

"Kayla, even after Echel died, he always kept you and Liveser in his thoughts. Echel must have been an excellent king."

"Yes, he always lives in our hearts." A smile returned to Kayla’s face, along with a sense of relief as if a burden had been lifted. She moved her bright eyes to Lyle, looking at the lens on the pale bird-beak mask.

"So, what about your disguise, Lyle? Your disguises, they’re how you all looked when you were alive, right?"

Being asked by a beautiful girl to show his face was something that could make one’s heart race, but after being bombarded by Naslan’s daughter’s charm offensives, Lyle had developed a certain immunity.

Only a lonely soul cared about how they looked in the eyes of others.

Lyle took off his mask.

"Lyle really is a handsome man."

Hmph, naive, do you think I’d be happy from a simple compliment?

Medusa crawled to Lyle’s ear, wearing a mischievous smile, and whispered softly, "Little boy, the hairs on your back are standing up with joy." Fortunately, Medusa spoke quietly enough that Kayla probably couldn’t hear.

After a few minutes, Echel – with a longsword stuck in his body – and Reed walked back side by side. Both had made compromises. Echel let himself be stabbed with a sword to vent his anger, and Reed did not turn him into meat slices in someone else’s house.

At least the dinner looked harmonious.

Nia was exposed at the dinner table. None of the three felt much fear towards Nia, and Kayla, watching Nia’s girlish actions, even became somewhat curious; however, queenly etiquette still made her restrain herself. She just watched Nia perch atop Lyle’s head, nibbling away at food like a squirrel with rapid "click, click, click" sounds.

"It must be such happy news for everyone in Liveser that Grandpa Echel could return," Kayla’s eyes shone beautifully, "Liveser will surely return to its original state under Grandpa’s guidance. Our people will flourish and thrive like the leaves in the height of summer, so long as we have Grandpa’s leadership."

Faced with Kayla’s eager eyes, Echel paused for a moment.

"My child, now, you are the king of Liveser."

"But you are more outstanding than I am, you are the founder of Liveser..."

"As I’ve said, dear, this time, it’s just the soul of one who’s been away from home for too long returning. We’re dead, and we will forever be part of the past. Kayla, in reality, you’ve been doing well. Look at your people; they trust you, and you’ve already started taking Liveser on the path to rejuvenation."

Kayla’s voice momentarily sharpened, "But it’s not enough! I’m not doing well enough..." She looked about the same age as Lyle, but the fragile girl bore the weight of a nation. Who could guess the stress she had been under? Even if it couldn’t compare to the population of a city-state in the twenty-first century, this girl had already endured so much. Echel’s refusal seemed to prick at her tightly wound nerve, and Kayla unleashed her frustrations.

"I know what Liveser once was like! In my childhood, it was warm like the autumn sun, with pride and sunshine on every Liveserian’s face. We had everything a king of the jungle should have! We had the arrogance to reject the Holy Light. But I haven’t achieved any of this!"

Kayla looked at Echel like a crying little girl wanting to return to the embrace of an adult.

"I can feel it, Grandpa, Liveser is still lingering in the sorrow of losing you. You are our pillar, please come back, won’t you?"

Echel had all the qualities of a great king, including the wisdom to discern right from wrong... and the ruler’s cruelty.

"I will always stand behind you, dear, watching you grow into a new pillar, watching as you are relied upon and adored by your people, erasing my shadow from their hearts."

"It’s a growth you must go through."

"And so must Liveser. The nation has to awaken from the beautiful dream of its founder, Echel."