The Mad Dog of the Duke's Estate-Chapter 377. The Return (2)

Unlike the harbor, the atmosphere at Azureocean Castle had grown heavy. The continent's greatest warrior, who had guarded the seat of family head for so many years, was gone.

The moment the Oceanwolf Knight Order and the Ducal Family of Leston returned, the castle began its mourning rituals. The chief mourner was Halo's eldest son, Dales Leston.

Apart from the upcoming state funeral, the Ducal Family of Leston decided to open its doors for an entire month to receive visitors paying their respects.

Halo Leston had been a hero, one who had saved countless lives in his lifetime. So the Ducal Family of Leston declared that they would welcome all mourners, whether noble, commoner, or even of other races.

An era had ended, and a new one had begun.

Though Halo Leston had departed from this world, everyone knew that the new era still belonged to the Ducal Family of Leston. The youngest of the family had now become its brilliant sun.

Soldiers who had been part of the expedition spoke of Caron's overwhelming strength, and the stories spread far and wide—even among other races. Leaders of every faction hurried to organize delegations of condolence, first to visit Azureocean Castle, then to attend the joint memorial service for the expedition in the imperial capital. 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝙚𝔀𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝒐𝒎

Many scholars declared that the world would be divided into two ages—before and after the joint funeral—and in truth, rulers everywhere had already begun preparing for the coming era.

While everyone was busy readying themselves for that new dawn, two men were speaking quietly in the now-empty ducal office of Azureocean Castle.

"Uncle Dales," Caron said playfully.

Dales sighed and waved a hand, then said, "Please, don't call me that. To be honest, it's... a bit uncomfortable."

"Once an uncle, forever an uncle," Caron replied with a grin.

Dales groaned and said, "Let's just sit and talk."

Caron gestured toward a chair, and Dales took the seat across from him.

Caron then poured amber liquor into two crystal glasses and smiled, saying, "The position of acting head suits you, Uncle Dales. You look good in it."

"I sometimes think," Dales said, his tone quiet, "that if you had told me who you really were a bit earlier, I might have spared myself some arrogant thoughts..."

When Dales became acting head, the elders had told him the truth about Caron. The nephew he had once despised—the reckless youngest—was actually the reincarnation of Rael Leston, and of Cain Latorre.

At first, Dales couldn't believe it. But the signs had always been there—the skill with the sword that was far beyond his years, the impossible achievements, that infuriatingly playful attitude. Looking back, it all made sense.

"Arrogant thoughts?" Caron asked lightly.

Dales gave a wry smile and answered, "I had some really bad ones too, at one point."

"Well, that's all in the past," Caron said, chuckling. "I don't hold grudges, Uncle Dales."

"I told you, drop the title... Oh, forget it. Just call me what you like," Dales gave in.

Though he was only acting head, Dales now held full authority over the Ducal Family of Leston. It was the position he had dreamed of all his life.

Caron watched him with a knowing smile and said, "The seat of head seems to fit you well. Why don't you keep it a bit longer? Leo's still young, and frankly, a family head with some maturity gives the house more weight."

"I'll step down as soon as the funeral ends," Dales said firmly.

"Think about it a little more," Caron replied.

Leo had never received proper training as heir, while Dales had spent decades preparing for it. The continent would soon descend into chaos—wars left behind greed, and greed always found new ways to surface.

In such turbulent times, forcing Leo into leadership would be cruel. Caron wanted Dales to remain in charge for a while longer. The elders agreed; only Dales himself needed to accept.

"I refuse," Dales said flatly.

You think I'm crazy? He finished the sentence in his thought. He wasn't about to grab a cup of poison willingly. To hold that seat meant embracing a ticking bomb named Caron.

It wasn't just a poisoned chalice, it was the very essence of poison. The moment he became permanent head, he would lose half his lifespan, and Dales knew it.

But Caron was far more wicked than his uncle realized.

"That's a shame," he said with a sigh. "Then I suppose I'll just have to ask Hugo."

"...What did you say?" Dales asked.

"Well, if you won't do it, I don't have much choice, do I?" Caron pressed.

"What about Raphael?" Dales suggested.

"He already applied for leave," Caron replied brightly. "He said he's going on a year-long family trip right after the funeral. So that leaves... seven years."

"Seven? It was five earlier—" Dales said.

A gleam of mischief—almost madness—flashed in Caron's eyes.

Dales realized the outcome had already been decided. This meeting wasn't about whether he would take the position of acting head, but rather about how many years he would be expected to serve.

"...Three years," Dales said finally.

"Oh?" Caron raised a brow.

"Exactly three. After that, I'm leaving Azureocean Castle myself," Dales declared.

"Of course," Caron said smoothly. "Three years, and then you can do whatever you like."

He had planned on three years from the start. Three years would be enough time to polish Leo's swordsmanship and let him grasp the basics of the family's administration.

Satisfied, Caron smiled and pointed to the drink, then said, "Now, have a proper glass."

Dales let out a long breath, then downed the whiskey in one go before standing up slowly and added, "You'd better keep your promise."

"Have you ever known me to break one, Uncle?" Caron asked.

"Yes," Dales said without hesitation.

"...Fair enough," Caron muttered. "Then this time, I'll keep it."

With that, Dales left the office.

Caron turned his gaze to the empty chair behind the desk. It was the duke's chair. No one would sit there again for a long, long time.

He smiled faintly and murmured, "I'm still taking good care of things, you know that, right?"

He traced the rim of his glass with a finger, then muttered, "Drinking alone feels a bit empty. Tsk tsk. You stupid old man."

Halo was gone, but others were trying to fill the void he had left behind. Caron was one of them.

It would take time, but they would manage. Halo's shadow was just that vast.

"Ah, damn," Caron sighed, tilting back the last of his drink.

The matter of the acting head was settled for now. It was time for him to head to the capital.

***

"The young head of the Ducal Family of Leston, Leo Leston, and his three merry tagalongs have been ordered to depart for the capital," Caron announced in a playful tone, bowing lightly to the elders gathered before him.

They stood at the rear courtyard of Azureocean Castle, before a teleportation circle that shimmered faintly with blue light. Thanks to Gratia, the circle was kept active at all times, allowing instant travel to the imperial capital. Since a branch of the World Tree had taken root beneath Azureocean Castle, the upkeep cost had dropped drastically. Until now, it had mostly been used to transport urgent supplies.

"Maybe we should start charging the rich for using it," Caron mused.

"What an idea," Leo muttered dryly.

"Take notes, Leo. When you become the next head of the house, you'll need to start caring about our finances," Caron said with a teasing grin.

Leo sighed.

"Grandfather! Grandmother! Come with us!" Caron called out, waving.

His maternal grandfather, Gyle, approached with a gentle smile and raised hand. He said, "We'll remain here at Azureocean Castle for a bit longer.:

"Hm?" Caron tilted his head.

"It's my brother-in-law's funeral, after all. I shouldn't excuse myself. I'll stay here and keep your in-laws company. Besides, your grandmother prefers the quiet here to the bustle of the capital."

"Well, if that's the case," Caron said, smiling faintly.

After exchanging brief farewells with his grandparents, he turned to Sir Zerath and requested, "Sir Zerath, once the schedule for the joint funeral is set, please send word immediately."

"Yes, understood," Sir Zerath replied.

"Alright then, we'll go on ahead," Caron said.

It wouldn't be a long trip. In truth, it was like a formal debriefing before the emperor—an audience to report the expedition's results.

Caron gave a small wave toward Aqua, who stood at a distance, her eyes gleaming. He told her, "Wait for me a little while longer, Aqua. Once I'm done, we'll go have some fun.""

"Okay! I'm good at waiting," Aqua replied brightly.

"Such a good girl," Caron said with a laugh.

After the brief goodbyes, Caron stepped onto the teleportation circle. Beside him, Seria whispered softly, "When you travel with Aqua later on... Will you take me with you?"

"Don't you have to return to the Holy Kingdom?" Caron asked.

"The Grand Saintess following the Hero isn't strange, is it?" Seria answered with a small pout.

"Well, Beatrice will be coming along too. Alright, you can come," Caron said with a nod.

"...Dame Uriel as well?" Seria asked.

"Of course. I'll bring all my old comrades. The more the merrier," Caron replied.

Seria looked slightly sulky, but before she could respond...

Whoosh!

A surge of mana enveloped them, and the world blurred. In the blink of an eye, they stood in the imperial gardens of the capital. Waiting there were Luke, Amy, and members of the Imperial Guards.

"How gracious to see you all," Caron said.

"Hmm... Seems like your arm is just fine," a voice remarked.

The emperor of the Orias Empire, Revelio, approached with his usual sly smile and asked, "So, did you see the First Emperor off properly?"

Caron tapped his chest and replied lightly, "I devoured him well, Your Majesty."

"Then you must have all the memories of the past. I'm jealous," Revelio said.

"I'll whisper a few of them to you once the official matters are done," Caron said with a grin.

Revelio chuckled and replied, "For the honor of the imperial family, I ought to sew that mouth of yours shut. My knights—any volunteers for such a glorious task?"

Luke placed a hand on his sword hilt and said dryly, "...If His Majesty commands it."

"Sir Luke," Sir Mason interrupted, stepping forward hastily, "His Majesty was only joking. Best not take him too seriously."

"Sir Mason! Keep that up and you'll make me sound powerless. I'm a little sad and disappointed," Revelio protested.

"You could use a touch of humility, Your Majesty," Mason replied.

Revelio sighed in mock despair, but before he could continue, Leon stormed forward and glared up at him.

"Your Majesty," Leon said sharply, "Didn't I tell you to behave yourself in public?"

"Oh! My lovely Leon—" Revelio began, but was cut off.

"My lovely Leon or not!" Leon snapped.

"P-Please, don't be angry... I was only trying to lighten the mood," Revelio pleaded.

"We'll talk later. Privately," Leon said, her tone like ice. "You've clearly gotten too comfortable while I was away."

It seemed the emperor had indeed met his match. As soon as Leon appeared, she firmly established discipline within Revelio.

After the brief reunion, the group began making their way toward the main palace.

"It's been chaos since this morning," Revelio said, running a hand through his hair. "Kings from the southern kingdoms have been sending personal letters, and the ambassador from the Free City Union is already in the palace to visit. Even with two bodies, I'd be short on time."

"What do they all want?" Caron asked.

"What else? They all want a bigger slice of the pie. The war's over, so everyone's here to collect a price for all the shed blood. I can't just ignore them—the pressure's too great," Revelio replied.

"The other races will start moving soon too. Leave that to me," Caron said calmly.

"My capable junior always has my back," Revelio said with a wry smile.

Even though he sounded exhausted, the emperor's authority was stronger than ever.

The expedition had triumphed, and Orias had contributed more than any other nation. Naturally, their influence had soared. Every leader now sought an audience with Revelio, not out of respect—but necessity. The Orias Empire stood as the uncontested hegemon of the continent.

As long as the Ducal Family of Leston didn't sever ties with the empire, that supremacy would last at least a century.

"If you ever feel like starting a rebellion, just tell me first," Revelio said casually.

"Why is that?" Caron asked, amused.

"I'll just hand over the throne to you myself. Make Leo the head of the family, and you—wouldn't you want to be emperor?" Revelio asked.

"Hey," Caron said flatly.

"Yes?" Revelio responded.

"Who in their right mind would want to be an emperor?" Caron asked.

"...Hah. Exactly," Revelio muttered.

Their banter continued as they entered the main palace.

By the time Caron arrived, his task was clear. He was to mediate the first full-scale diplomatic assembly since the war's end.

"Shouldn't you be the one handling these now?" he asked.

Revelio snorted and replied, "Better a lunatic with a sword than a pampered emperor. Especially when that lunatic happens to be the hero who saved the continent."

"Have you gathered everyone?" Caron asked.

"They've been waiting for an hour already," Revelio answered.

Even before they entered the main palace, shouting could be heard echoing through the halls.

"Why should we yield?"

"You yield! We lost more soldiers than you!"

"Tsk tsk. We sent more knights and mages! Stop trying to steal the credit!"

It was a scene Caron had seen before in the Demon Realm—only now, the quarreling fools were diplomats instead of commanders.

"Emperor Revelio of the Orias Empire and Caron Leston of the Ducal Family of Leston are entering!" the herald announced.

As Caron stepped inside, the entire hall fell into a suffocating silence. The diplomats, who moments earlier had been shouting at one another, now froze as if turned to stone.

Step. Step.

Caron walked to his seat, the sound of his boots echoing through the vast hall.

Thud.

He dropped the sheath of his sword against the floor with deliberate weight.

"Ah," Caron said casually, "I forgot to return my sword. Shall I go do that now, Your Majesty?"

Revelio smirked and answered, "No need for that."

"Understood," Caron said.

Boom!

He slammed the sheath against the ground once more, the echo ringing like thunder. Then, flashing a wicked smile, he looked over the room.

"Alright then," Caron began, his voice carrying effortlessly. "Let's have a fair and equal discussion, shall we?"

The mad dog had returned, and the great mediator of the continent's new era had begun his work.