Chapter 97

"Are you alright, Lio?"

Xia Mingyu walked to the corner of the hall with the *Biography of the Crimson Fire* and asked the boy squatting in the corner softly.

Hearing the Prince's voice, the boy lifted his head from his arms and forced a smile.

"Your Majesty, I am very lost right now. I feel I have failed the teachings you and Master gave me."

"You turned me from a beggar about to starve to death into a knight, step by step, able to eat and drink without worry, be respected by others, and even have a noble young lady as a companion."

"But how have I repaid you? You and Master taught me to be just, yet I watched my colleagues slaughter unarmed starving people, among whom were even benefactors who had once helped me."

"The armor on my body, every piece of white bread I ate, every mouthful of magic potion I swallowed, all came from these starving people who worked hard all year round yet couldn't even afford a bite of black bread."

"Could all my efforts just be to allow myself to live a good life sucking the blood and flesh of my fellow countrymen?!"

"Your Majesty, what should I do? And what can I do?"

The boy poured out his heart to Xia Mingyu with a painful expression. His body was safe and sound, but his soul was suffering from the torture of self-questioning.

Like a drowning man tangled in water weeds at the bottom of a lake, unable to live, unable to die.

Looking at the boy curled up in the corner before him, his forehead covered in cold sweat, sliding down his pale cheeks onto his trembling knees, Xia Mingyu understood a little why the other would later become the famous Crimson Fire.

Not everyone encounters this dilemma of moral torture.

Most people, after a change in class, quickly blend in with their new friends, forget their original situation entirely, and turn to fight for the interests of their new class.

Or, as they say, where you sit determines what you think.

"It is not necessary to sacrifice everything to be considered just; being able to not go with the flow is also justice," Xia Mingyu said calmly.

"Lio, I only gave you a good starting point. Becoming a knight was your own effort, so there is no need to feel you have failed me or Tamerlane."

"As for what you should do later, you decide for yourself, but I suggest you look at this book first."

Xia Mingyu handed the *Biography of the Crimson Fire* in his hand to Lio.

The youth took the book listlessly like a marionette, but after flipping through a few pages, his numb and painful expression was quickly covered by shock.

"Your Majesty, is this my future?"

He looked at Xia Mingyu in extreme panic, wanting verification, but saw the other make a gentle shushing gesture.

"Finish the book first," Xia Mingyu said warmly, pulling the boy up from the ground and to the bronze long table.

So Lio sat on the bronze seat and began to read the *Biography of the Crimson Fire* in his hand with full concentration.

His eyes did not blink, his gaze like a torch, as if he wanted to carve every word in the book into his mind, not daring to miss a single detail.

Crimson Fire Lio Masha, born in the slums, parents both starved to death, entered Red Fox Castle to work, achieved Transcendent Knight at fifteen, achieved Morning Star at sixteen, won first place in the Southern Region martial arts assembly, married Rosa Masha...

Took the head of the rebel leader Duke Mason in the Battle of Dragon and Lion, and on the verge of death, proposed to Sosia IX the wish to abolish the Southern Region grain tax, which was granted, benefiting countless people in the Southern Region.

—Dedicated to the greatest knight in the history of the Southern Region, by the author, former steward of Red Fox Castle.

A long time later, the boy finally closed the book. By now, the pain and numbness on his face had vanished, replaced by a pair of eyes as bright as fire.

"Your Majesty, thank you for letting me have such a wonderful life," he said, full of gratitude.

"So, you don't intend to change your future that is destined for death?"

"Everyone dies. Even if I die at that time, I will have lived longer than most people. And judging from the fact that I couldn't tell the scale of time earlier, perhaps everything was already destined," Lio said with a bitter smile.

"... You have worked hard," Xia Mingyu said after a moment of silence.

He knew Lio's path was harder to walk than his own, because he still had a group of like-minded companions by his side, as well as the Southern Region as a paradise for a foundation.

But Lio had to fight alone in the dark past, and his opponent was that high and mighty King of Gluttony, as well as the entire world.

"Your Majesty, please do not be sad for me. Although I know the end, every moment in the process makes me yearn for it."

"Before reading this book, I was always worried about the future."

"I was constantly worried about whether I would fall into a beast that only knew how to enjoy itself, whether Rosa would despise me, whether I should risk everything to avenge my benefactor... just like that, a day would pass in sorrow."

"But now I know that every day in life is a heaven-sent gift."

"I will cherish them from now on."

After speaking, a brilliant smile appeared on the boy's face, as bright as a raging fire, making one unable to help but want to get closer.

Xia Mingyu knew that from this moment on, the Crimson Fire was truly born.

"Take it. Return it to me after you die. There is a *Complete Collection of Internet Slang* on the third bookshelf; remember to take some time to look at it."

Xia Mingyu took the ring off his finger and handed it to Lio.

"Your Majesty, does this ring have a name?" The boy looked curiously at the ring in his hand; the crimson gemstone embedded on it was as beautiful as solidified fire.

"It is called, A Single Spark."

As if responding to Xia Mingyu's words, the ring stone bloomed with a faint fluorescence, shining brilliantly under the illumination of the hall's torches.

In the following month, Xia Mingyu traveled through the entire Southern Region with Miss Anliya and Boge Chu.

Because the *Hymn of the Sage* spread rapidly and black hair and black eyes were extremely rare, Xia Mingyu was recognized immediately almost every time he arrived at a village, followed by a warm welcome from the villagers.

They offered the sweetest melons and fruits, white bread made from the best wheat, and the most delicious and sweet spring water to treat the Sage.

Because he really couldn't refuse, Xia Mingyu could only accept it calmly.

However, in return, whenever he passed through a village, he would do one good deed for it or solve one difficulty.

Either promoting hygiene knowledge and grain storage techniques, solving nearby rampaging magical beasts for the village, or leaving behind arithmetic basics like the multiplication table...

Just like that, when Xia Mingyu finally arrived at the core of the Southern Region, which was also one of the top five most prosperous cities in the entire Sosia Kingdom—Twilight City—he had already left behind good deeds of little effort in hundreds of villages.

This caused the Sage's reputation to not only resound throughout the Southern Region but even gradually spread to the entire kingdom.

At the same time, in that distant past...

Red Fox Castle.

At this very moment, many people were waiting in front of the confinement room door.

The young lady Rosa, the Knight Commander, a group of knights, the steward, and even the master of the castle, Count Masha, had all come.

Because Rosa insisted on seeing Lio the moment he was released from confinement, and according to experience, people who had been in confinement for a long time were prone to madness when they first came out.

Therefore, Count Masha, who cherished his daughter and was a Crescent Knight, came down personally.

And since the Count had come, his attendants and the attendants' attendants naturally had to follow.

Under the gaze of everyone, the door of the confinement room slowly opened, and a tall youth walked slowly out of the dark room.

To everyone's surprise, there was no haggardness or madness on his face; instead, he wore an extremely brilliant smile, as if the whole person was shrouded in a layer of golden halo.

This immediately made the knights vigilant, because being too normal was the greatest abnormality.

"Rosa, be careful, this kid might have already gone mad..."

Count Masha grabbed his daughter, who wanted to rush over, but before he could finish his sentence, he was shocked by the scene before him.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!

A crimson torrent of magic surged into the sky from the youth's body, and the air waves raised caused the wild grass on the surrounding land to bend.

At the same time, above the youth's head, the emerald-green knight protection gradually disappeared, replaced by a line of new text—Deep Purple Crimson Fire Knight.

Sixteen years old... achieved Morning Star Knight?!

Realizing this absurd fact before his eyes, everyone was completely stunned, and even Count Masha widened his eyes.

Only Rosa took the opportunity to break free from the Count's arm and rushed over to hug the youth's already broad shoulders tightly.

"Lio, don't leave me again!" the young girl shouted with a sobbing voice.

And the youth still had a brilliant smile on his face. He stroked the girl's silver hair and promised in a low voice:

"Rosa, from now on, only death can make me leave you."

Watching his daughter throw herself into the arms of a commoner boy in full view of everyone, Count Masha was so angry that his beard bristled.

He originally wanted to pull his daughter away, beat the kid up severely, and stuff him back into the confinement room for a whole year!

Luo Nan thought so, but looking at the dazzling deep purple protection above the youth's head, he really couldn't take the step.

Being able to achieve Morning Star Knight at sixteen with a commoner protection, and being a variant profession, meant that the future Crescent Rank was a certainty, and even the Radiant Moon Rank, known as the pillar of the kingdom, could be glimpsed.

Having lost his direct male heir, the Masha family, which was originally about to face decline, might bloom with glory again if this youth with no ties joined.

Thinking of this, Count Masha closed his eyes and turned to leave.

Out of sight, out of mind. Let the young people's affairs be chosen by the young people themselves...

And the Knight Commander, the steward, and others, after seeing the departing Count, understood that the surname Masha would likely be added to the youth's name in the future.

The next moment, gazes of envy, jealousy, and amazement gathered on the youth, almost drowning him.

Another two years.

Eighteen-year-old Rosa held her coming-of-age ceremony with the blessings of over a hundred noble guests.

And as the hegemon of the Southern Region, now the only direct member of the Masha family, and a woman, and beautiful, she naturally attracted countless admirers.

There were young knights with extraordinary strength who took the initiative to woo her, elegant bards who recited poems, and even high-ranking great nobles who sent treasures and love letters...

This made the youth, who witnessed the girl's current exquisite beauty, fall into panic.

Even though he already knew the future, concern led to chaos, and his heart still fell into a panic.

Fortunately, while shopping in Twilight City, the girl gave an answer—as long as he picked a bunch of blooming violets from the roadside for her, she would agree to his courtship.

Hearing this, Lio was overjoyed. He picked bunches of deep purple-petaled violets from the roadside with the fastest speed in his life, finally tying them into a bouquet and holding them, wanting to offer them to Rosa.

However, just as he was about to offer the violets to the girl, a carriage passed by, and the wheels splashed mud and water from the ground.

Splash!

The fragrant flowers, still stained with dew, were contaminated by the dirty mud and water along with his clothes.

Lio looked at this scene blankly, his mind a blank.

His nose felt sore, his eyes misted over, and he even wanted to cry on the spot.

And at this moment, Rosa, without caring about the mud on the man, hugged him tightly even though it would stain her gorgeous dress.

"Now we are both dirty."

The girl bit Lio's ear and whispered in the sweetest tone.

Afterward, there was a kiss so long it was suffocating.

Another two years.

"Therefore, I decided to live well from now on, cherishing every day as a gift from heaven, so as not to waste their love."

So for a time, young talents from the entire Southern Region came, and some even traveled thousands of miles from the capital, the Northern Region, the Eastern Region, the Western Valley, and other places.

After all, if they succeeded, they might be able to fight for the status of a regional lord in this lifetime.

However, this fantasy soon encountered the Waterloo of reality...

Looking at the youth on the assembly field, whose whole body was wrapped in crimson flame clouds and who had a deep blue protection above his head, all participants fell into silence.

Gods above, a twenty-year-old Crescent Rank?!

How can this be fought? How can this be fought!

Most people chose to give up; only the young lord who had just succeeded to the William territory was stubborn enough to choose to go on stage.

However, the ending was miserable. Under the gaze of countless people, the youth knocked the young lord off the field to the ground with just one strike.

A young girl holding forget-me-nots hurriedly went over to help him up, but was pushed away by the young lord, who was deeply ashamed and took his anger out on her.

The girl fell to the ground unsteadily, and the light blue flowers were scattered all over the ground, which a helpful youth walked over to help her pick up.

After this, Lio and Rosa were married, and his name was officially changed to Lio Masha.

The union of a commoner boy from the slums and the Flower of the Southern Region undoubtedly made countless people talk, adding a lot of joy to the people of the Southern Region at that time.

However, this still could not change the difficult and miserable life of the people of the Southern Region at that time.

The grain tax rose year by year, so much so that many families could not afford to raise children and could only painfully throw their newborn babies into the wild...

At that time, Count Masha, in order to change this situation, spent a lot of money to gather a large group of Harvesters to use their abilities to increase farmland production, and studied how to make it simpler and consume fewer resources to make farmers promote to Harvesters in batches.

This measure improved the lives of the people in the Southern Region a lot, but just a few years later, when the research finally saw the light of day, Count Masha suddenly fell seriously ill.

The Crescent Knight, who could defeat an army alone, was paralyzed in bed within a few days and could not get up, and even breathing required assistance.

Therefore, the Count chose death. Before he died, he kissed his beloved daughter's forehead again, just as he had done during the infant honor ceremony decades ago.

Finally, he had a moment of clarity, and after using all his strength to kick Lio's butt hard, he closed his eyes with satisfaction.

After the Count's funeral, Rosa succeeded as the new Count Masha.

She still maintained her father's policy of focusing on cultivating Harvesters during his lifetime, but soon, those Harvesters who had been cultivated with huge resources suddenly fell into death one by one due to various bizarre ways of dying.

Some were bitten to death by magical beasts while going out to apply their abilities to farmland, some were smashed to death by chandeliers, some fainted and drowned while taking a bath...

The ways of death were more unique than the last, almost completely unlike the ways of death a Transcendent should have.

When more than half of the Harvesters died inexplicably, the remaining Harvesters also became like frightened birds, quickly packing their bags and leaving the Southern Region.

Forced by helplessness, Rosa could only stop the policy of cultivating Harvesters.

Thus, the people of the Southern Region returned to their previous miserable lives...

Afterward, time flashed by for many years.

Lio and Rosa already had three children, two disobedient calves and one cute angel.

The man, who had already been promoted to Radiant Moon Knight, liked nothing more than to put his daughter—Danielle, who was as cute as his wife was when she was young—on his neck and take her to pick red fruits from the trees to eat.

Listening to his daughter calling "Daddy" tenderly was the happiest time of his day.

However, at this time, the Sosia Kingdom was already like a powder keg, just one spark away from exploding.

The grain tax that rose every year had already caused a large number of starving people to die of hunger nationwide.

The hard-hearted lords could still turn a blind eye, but some benevolent lords did not hesitate to exhaust their family fortunes to buy grain to feed their subjects.

Finally, under the unbearable fury, the most noble noble in the Sosia Kingdom besides the royal family, the master of the Eastern Region Mason Duchy—Duke Mason—chose to rebel.

Under the slogan of refusing the grain tax, which shook people's hearts, the flames of rebellion instantly spread to the entire Eastern Region.

The King of Sosia issued a conscription order to the lords of the whole country; those who refused were considered traitors.

In order to deter the great nobles, within a few days, the royal family's strongest force—the giant dragon hundreds of meters long, Molten Gold Fire Vargalon—soared over the castles of the other three regional lords.

Forced by the dragon's overwhelmingly powerful strength, the lords of the Southern Region, led by the strongest knight, Crimson Fire, rushed to the battlefield in the Eastern Region together.

That day, after hugging and kissing his wife, son, and daughter separately, the man calmly chose to leave, leaving only his cloak fluttering in the east wind.

War is terrifying. Some people are born warriors. A youth named Kalen killed multiple Transcendent Knights in the first battle and successfully promoted to Morning Star.

Some chose to escape, lying on the ground pretending to be corpses.

And what these young lords had to face were at most some Morning Star warriors. Lio, as the commander, had to face the initiator of this war—Duke Mason.

Boom, boom, boom!

Roar!

The roar of the giant lion and the bombardment of magic were enough to deafen people.

Lio fell into a giant crater covered in blood, looking up at the golden-haired giant who was looking down at him, as majestic as a lion king.

He was already in a state of near-death. If it weren't for the special ability of the Crimson Fire Knight still hanging on by a thread, he would have gone to see his father-in-law long ago.

But even so, after his magic was exhausted, he would undoubtedly die.

This man was simply too strong. The biography recorded that he cut off the other's head. Unless he broke through to the Sun Wheel Rank on the spot, how could he turn the tables in this situation?

"You, such a heroic knight, why do you have to go to such lengths for that madman, the King of Gluttony? Is death really that terrifying to you?"

Duke Mason slowly descended and asked coldly.

Lio opened his mouth with difficulty, wanting to explain, but saw Duke Mason mutter to himself:

"Forget it, I'll just look for myself!"

"Hmm? Ah!"

Surprise, shock, relief, regret... In just a few seconds, Duke Mason's expression changed several times, leaving only a smile of relief in the end.

"Crimson Fire, you are a great knight. Now, take my head and complete your unfinished mission!"

"The future is beautiful!"

The golden-haired man laughed loudly, and then, under Lio's incredulous gaze, twisted off his own head.

His headless corpse still stood straight in place, with only bright red blood spraying from his neck, staining his body.

After the dying Lio returned to the military camp with the rebel leader's head, it immediately caused a huge sensation.

To commend his sacrifice, the King of Gluttony rushed to the bedside with a group of great nobles and gave him the right to make any wish.

"I request to abolish the grain tax in the Southern Region..."

After experiencing the sacrifice and suffering of countless people, the former beggar finally shouted the most important sentence of his life on the verge of death.

(End of chapter)