The Mad Dog of the Duke's Estate-Chapter 376. The Return (1)

The North Sea, which had once claimed countless lives, was no longer dangerous.

With the dark mana that had churned its depths now gone, the waters had become astonishingly calm. It was so calm, in fact, that the entire expedition returned safely to the continent.

"At last... We're back," Caron said quietly as he stood on the deck, gazing toward the distant harbor.

Raelnia had begun as a northern outpost built by the Ducal Family of Leston, but it no longer served that purpose. Yet compared to how it had been before their departure, the city had grown so vast that it could no longer be called a frontier town.

"Why are there so many people?" someone muttered.

"Do they really need to keep building when the war's already over?" another asked.

"I guess money really can move mountains," a third said.

Even as the expedition's ships approached the harbor, construction continued ceaselessly. Cranes were lifting beams, towers were rising, and the sound of hammers were echoing over the sea breeze.

Caron let out a snort, amused by his comrades' astonishment. Shaking his head, he said, "This just proves you all have no sense for how the world works. Half that construction's being done directly by the duchy."

"Why would they bother?" one asked.

"Because this is the closest city to the Demon Realm," Caron replied. "That alone makes it valuable."

"Ah, I see," someone murmured in understanding.

"When the development o,f the Demon Realm begins, enormous wealth is going to flow through here. It's our land so of course we have to claim it first," Caron continued with a knowing grin.

"Not to mention, maritime trade through the North Sea will be possible again," Leon added.

"As expected of Lady Leon," Caron said teasingly. "Truly, the insight of a future empress."

Caron simply smiled.

The North Sea was no longer a sea of death. It had become a place brimming with dazzling potential. It was a sea that would connect the continent's northern regions and the Free City Union with the reborn Demon Realm.

Caron exhaled softly, nodding to himself, then said, "I think we'll have to rename it."

"Rename what?" Leo asked uneasily.

"The name Raelnia doesn't sit right with me," Caron said, wrinkling his brow.

"But that's the name of our ancestor..." Leo began.

"I don't mind changing it," Caron said easily.

"Do you think the elders will allow that?" Leo asked.

"Oh, absolutely," Caron confirmed.

He'd already spoken with the elders separately. Sabina and the other elders of the family all knew now who Caron truly was. They had long suspected he was the reincarnation of Cain Latorre, and so he'd told them everything—that he was also the reincarnation of Rael Leston.

Their reaction had been surprisingly calm. Most had simply nodded as if to say, So the day has finally come.

Honestly, I revealed it to make sure Leo could become the next head of house, Caron thought. But looking back, maybe I didn't even need to. The elders already saw him that way.

"What will you call it then?" Leon asked casually.

Caron paused to think for a moment, then nodded in satisfaction, and said, "Halon."

"...Really?" Leon asked, half in disbelief.

"Yes," Caron answered softly. "I'll name it to honor Grandfather. He was the one who brought peace to the continent, after all. Don't you think he deserves it?"

A gentle smile spread across Caron's face as he looked toward the thriving city.

It had been Halo who had spread the forgotten name of Cain Latorre across the world. And now, Caron intended to return that favor. He would leave Halo's name upon the land, carving it into the very heart of the continent so that it would never, ever be forgotten.

"Halonia, Halon... I thought of a few names, but honestly, Halon just feels right," Caron said.

"Halonia does sound a bit lame," Leo replied dryly.

"This will be the first project under our next head of house," Caron added playfully.

At that, Hugo and Leon—who had been leisurely munching on apples—grinned and chimed in.

"As expected of the future head of house," Hugo said with a smirk.

"Truly impressive," Leon teased.

"I mean, I've always thought Leo should be the head anyway," Hugo said.

"Hugo, Leon... Please, save me," Leo groaned.

"Die alone," Leon said flatly.

"Exactly," Hugo agreed.

Their laughter carried over the deck as the ship glided toward the harbor—until the deep blast of a horn echoed across the sea.

Bwoooooo!

The sound signaled their approach.

Caron turned toward the fast-approaching port of Raelnia and smiled faintly. He muttered quietly, "It's strange. Didn't think I'd be this happy to be back."

"Once we're home, are we getting a vacation?" Hugo asked hopefully.

"Hugo," Caron said without looking at him.

"Yes?" Hugo responded.

"Maybe try swinging your sword a few more times instead, if you have the time to go on a vacation," Caron said flatly.

"...Got it," Hugo muttered in defeat.

Just then, Caron felt a familiar current of mana reaching him from the shore. A smile tugged at his lips as he murmured, "You've grown stronger." 𝙧𝙚𝙚𝔀𝒆𝓫𝓷𝙤𝓿𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝙤𝓶

Waiting on the harbor were people dear to him—his parents standing beside Aqua, and behind them, Urhan wiping away tears. His grandparents were there too, along with an entire crowd that had gathered to welcome the heroes home.

Whoosh.

The ship's mana engine whirred to a stop. The time had come to disembark.

Naturally, the first to step off was Caron. The moment his boots touched the dock—

"Waaaah!"

"The hero who saved the continent has returned!"

"Caron Leston! Caron Leston!"

Cheers erupted like a wave, the crowd chanting his name over and over.

Caron smiled and waved lightly at them, his gaze soft.

"Dad!" Aqua cried, running at full speed, holding a garland of flowers. She jumped into Caron's arms and placed the necklace around his neck with a proud grin.

Caron bent his knees slightly so she could reach him and asked with a smile, "Have you been well?"

"Mm-hm!" Aqua chirped, wrapping her arms around him tightly. She patted his back and said proudly, "I've grown a lot, haven't I?"

Caron chuckled and replied, "Yes, you have."

"Hehe. It's all thanks to you, Dad," Aqua said.

She had grown—nearly an adolescent now—but to Caron, she was still just as cute.

Behind her, his parents approached, both with tears glistening in their eyes.

"It's such a relief that you made it back safely," his mother said, voice trembling.

"Our son," his father added softly.

Caron hesitated for a moment, wondering what to say.

Words of apologies and regrets that he couldn't come back with his grandfather drifted through his mind. But after some thought, he realized there was only one thing he truly needed to say.

Caron embraced his parents in turn, then smiled brightly and said, "I'm home."

And with that simple phrase, Caron Leston finally returned home.

***

While the expedition was away from the continent, most of the northern empire's railway construction had already been completed. It had originally been built for war, with rails meant to transport supplies swiftly between regions. The pace of construction had been nothing short of astonishing.

Whoosh.

The hum of the engine filled the train. Caron gazed out the window, watching the endless expanse of the empire's frozen northern plains. The cold there could pierce straight to the bone.

And yet, what spread before his eyes was a landscape that had advanced far beyond what he remembered from just a few years ago. Nearly every city was under development. Buildings engraved with the crest of the Ducal Family of Leston rose in every direction.

"You must've worked hard," Caron said quietly.

It was all thanks to his father, Fayle. Managing the expedition's supplies, overseeing the family's construction projects—one body simply hadn't been enough.

Fayle hadn't joined in actual war physically, but no one could deny that he'd worked harder than anyone for the success of the expedition.

At Caron's words, Fayle gave an awkward laugh and nodded, then replied, "It wasn't easy."

"Now that the war's over, you should get some rest," Caron said with a teasing smile.

"You say that as if you don't know better. What a terrible son, to mock his father so," Fayle grumbled with a smile.

Caron chuckled softly.

The spoils from the expedition had been unimaginable. For one, the land known as the Demon Realm was a place where no human of the continent had ever set foot. But it was now open for exploration and development. The demonkin, now stripped of their dark mana, had become something entirely new, and they sought to rebuild the radiant civilization they'd once created in the distant past.

Just being part of that effort would guarantee unimaginable wealth.

Fayle smiled faintly as he looked out the window, then asked in a quiet tone, "So, it's settled then? Leo will be the next head of the family?"

"Yes," Caron replied. "But Father, you'll still have to help him. You've always handled the family's finances anyway."

"That's true enough," Fayle admitted, "but I'm not sure how your uncles will feel about that."

"Ah, I figured you'd say that." Caron reached into his pouch of dimensional space with a grin. "So I brought proof."

He pulled out a crystal communication orb and infused it with mana.

Immediately, voices echoed through the air—his uncles, Dales and Raphael, shouting in exasperation.

"You're serious? You really don't want the position?" Caron asked.

"Ha! I'd sooner give up than get beaten up by a brat of a nephew every other day. And don't even think of handing it to Hugo—understand?" Dales replied.

"Why does it have to be my son, you damn rascal? Are you planning to work him like a slave forever? Over my dead body—!" Raphael shouted.

But before Raphael's voice could get any louder, Caron quickly sealed the communication orb and tucked it away. Then, he said with a cheerful grin, "Anyway, that's permission enough."

Fayle sighed and said, "I'm not convinced that Raphael agreed to anything."

Caron shrugged innocently and continued, "He did after I persuaded him again. Don't worry, Father—Azureocean Castle's vault is ours now." He smirked like a seasoned villain.

Fayle gave a small, defeated sigh.

"Dad seems like a villain," Aqua commented on the seat beside him.

"Hmm, Aqua," Caron said seriously, "Let me tell you something important. In this world, villains usually eat and live better—"

"You really can't help yourself," Fayle interrupted sharply. "Stop corrupting her."

He reached out and patted Aqua's head. The girl beamed with delight.

"The Guardian Dragon returned with you, right?" Fayle asked.

"Ah, Lady Gratia went to speak with the World Tree for a while," Caron replied.

"I heard Aqua will soon be able to use draconic incantations properly," Fayle said.

"Don't worry about that," Caron replied with an easy smile. "Lady Gratia decided to stay at Azureocean Castle."

"That's a relief," Fayle said.

They talked about Aqua's future. Now that the war had ended, it was time to think ahead.

"How long will you stay at Azureocean Castle?" Fayle asked.

"Just one night," Caron replied. "I have to head to the capital right after. His Majesty the Emperor summoned me urgently."

"These will be difficult days," Fayle murmured. "The moment news of our victory spread, the nobles began moving in the shadows. The political order will be shaken. After all, many of the imperial elite forces were lost in the war."

It was going to be a hectic few days.

As Fayle had said, a large portion of the regular army was indeed incapacitated. And that meant one thing. Rebellion couldn't be ruled out. But Caron judged the chances of that happening to be very slim.

"If they've got even half a brain, they won't start a rebellion in front of the rebellion family," Caron said.

"...It's our family, Caron. Calling us the rebellion family is a bit much..." Fayle said.

"His Majesty and Leon will get married soon, so who would be stupid enough to start trouble?" Caron asked with a smirk. "Honestly, if anyone does try to rebel, that's fine by me. It gives me a legal reason to crush them."

At Caron's words, Fayle sighed heavily, then shook his head. He thought, ...He's my son, but he truly frightens me sometimes.

They weren't exactly the words one would expect from the hero chosen by the Light who had saved the continent.

"Should I handle a few troublemakers when I visit the capital?" Caron added casually. "Give me a list."

"That won't be necess—" Fayle began, but was cut off.

"Oh! No list? Then I'll just deal with whoever annoys me, right, Aqua?" Caron interrupted cheerfully.

"I don't know what's going on, but I agree with Dad!" Aqua said brightly.

"No, Aqua," Fayle said in exasperation. "Don't listen to this dev—I mean Caron."

Caron smirked and said, "I guess they were right—children really are a mirror of their parents. Maybe the way I turned out is your fault, Father."

The train slowed as they entered Azureocean Castle's station.

Caron opened the window slightly and felt the solemn air outside.

"The Duke is returning!" someone shouted.

"Raise the banners high!" another added.

Everyone in Azureocean Castle wore dark clothing, standing in reverent silence.

Caron drew Halo's sword, Gram, and rested it against the window frame. With a faint, wistful smile, he whispered, "Welcome back to Azureocean Castle."

Azureocean Castle greeted its returning Duke with all its might.

The great knight had finally come home with his old friend.

"...It's noticeable now," Caron muttered.

Especially today, he could feel how vast and heavy Halo's absence truly was.