Vol. 6 Ch. 131

People who lose their direction do fall into this kind of wavering state.

Leon didn’t try to act like some wise big brother and lecture them, nor did he try to force them to choose a side.

When you’re in that kind of deep turmoil, only you can save yourself.

No matter how much others say or do—it won't help.

After parting ways with Kaiser and Safina, Leon returned to the outer wall of the Imperial Palace.

Exactly midnight.

From every street and alley, the Empire’s citizens began their countdown to the New Year.

The second hand of the enormous central tower clock swept perfectly past the “12” mark amid the sea of cheers.

This marked the beginning of a new year in Nation's Fate for humankind.

This was the moment where, across the Empire, people poured their hopes and dreams into the new year.

It was tradition. As always.

Only this year… was a little different.

As Leon stood atop the city walls gazing up at the sky, the countless floating paper lanterns suddenly began to glow with soft, ghostly blue light.

The light from within the lanterns flickered and intertwined—every few dozen forming a brilliant image.

Over a thousand lanterns created an enormous, ever-shifting display in the sky—a  screen composed of hundreds, thousands of moving holographic images.

And though the images were many, every single one centered on the same girl.

Ash-blonde hair. Eyes like polished emeralds. Her smile was free and bold. Occasionally, °• N 𝑜 v 𝑒 l i g h t •° she pulled a silly face at the camera—lively and mischievous.

The people below gasped in wonder, watching the suspended montage unfold.

Each clip was like a window into a chapter of the girl’s life.

From wearing a school uniform, to her graduation into the Dragon-Slaying Academy, to her ordinary daily life.

There was no sound, but the warmth radiating from these memories could be felt deep in everyone’s chest.

“Isn’t that girl from Lionheart—Rebecca?”

“Wow, it is her! Did the Lionheart Order plan some kind of surprise show this year?”

“Probably not them. It’s all about Rebecca… This has to be a confession!”

Some people had already guessed the real reason behind tonight’s grand spectacle.

Leon and Nacho watched from the palace wall as the spectacle unfolded.

“…Wow. Martin, this is just a confession, and you’re pulling this much spectacle?” Leon laughed.

“Yeah, definitely over the top. Doesn’t match the Martin I know—dude’s usually the strong silent type.” Nacho agreed.

Leon shook his head and sighed, “You know what this is called, Nacho?”

“What?”

“A simp.”

……

……

Not long after, the montage stopped, replaced by a live image of a rooftop in the Upper City.

There, Martin stood holding a bouquet of roses—confessing to the very same girl whose face had just appeared across the whole sky.

“…Oh no,” Leon muttered under his breath.

Nacho raised an eyebrow. “What?”

“Rebecca told me once she hates cliché confessions with roses.”

Leon winced with secondhand anxiety. “Did Martin use up all his creativity on the lanterns?”

Nacho looked nervous now too. “You don’t think she’s gonna reject him, right?”

Leon shook his head. “No way. Not with the whole city watching.”

“But… she’s definitely gonna make him suffer for it afterward.”

“Then let’s see if little Martin can clutch the win,” Nacho murmured.

Sure enough, the girl on screen—Rebecca—showed a flash of irritation.

“Just flowers?”

“What more do you want, Rebecca?”

A breeze swept through, lifting the fringe from Martin’s brow.

Some people were watching the confession through the lantern-linked recording stones;

Others had gathered right below the rooftop, acting as live audience to this high-stakes romantic drama.

And in that kind of setting… plain roses did seem a little underwhelming.

“Hmph. Whatever.”

Just as Rebecca reached to take the bouquet—Martin suddenly tossed it off the rooftop.

Leon nearly fell off the palace wall. He grabbed Nacho’s shoulder for support, stunned.

“…What the hell are these two doing?!”

“The world of young people is too damn complicated,” Nacho muttered.

Rebecca stared down at the falling bouquet as it scattered into the crowd, one lone petal fluttering in the wind.

Then she looked back at Martin.

“I swear to God, Martin—if I marry you, we’re gonna be the laughingstock of the entire city—”

“Sure, Rebecca. But tell me this…”

Martin pulled something from behind his back—another bouquet, but this one forged entirely out of gleaming gunmetal:A flower arrangement made of pistols.

“…which gun do you want to use to marry me?”

Rebecca froze.

Her eyes locked on the gun-shaped bouquet—speechless.

“Familiar?”

Rebecca slowly nodded. “They’re all… the guns I used.”

“Yup. You told me once—every gun has a lifespan. Its parts wear down. Its edges dull. And once it’s past the limit, no matter how good it was, it becomes deadweight. Useless. Can’t protect its wielder anymore.”

Martin looked her in the eye and said softly,

“These were all the guns you used during your service in the Dragon-Slaying Academy. They’re no longer usable—but I’ve kept every single one safe all these years.

I still remember exactly what you looked like, wielding each of them.

You were so confident. So sharp. So damn cool. The best gunner I’ve ever seen.

But now, the Dragon-Slaying Academy is disbanded. The Empire has peace again. You don’t really use guns anymore.

…So doesn’t that mean…”

He paused deliberately.

Rebecca looked back at him, voice trembling. “Mean what?”

Martin smiled.

“It means that from now on… I can be the one who takes the place of your gun and protects you for the rest of your life.”

The wind caught the tears sliding from the corners of her eyes.

They embraced in the crowd’s roar, surrounded by warmth and blessings.

“…Touching as this all is,” Nacho said, “I feel like I should warn you, Leon.”

“Huh?”

“When it’s your turn to propose to your wife, don’t you dare bring up the Dragon-Slaying Academy.”

Leon made a face, shrugging. “…Thanks, man. I almost forgot.”

……

……

Earlier, Leon told Rosvisser there were two things he needed to do before clearing Hera’s name.

One was to witness Martin’s confession to Rebecca.

The other was to get a firm answer from the Void siblings that they wouldn’t interfere with his plan.

Now that both were settled…

Leon could finally return to the Golden Thunder Clan and have a proper showdown with their High Priest.

***

A week later, deep in the forest near the Golden Thunder Clan territory.

“You sure you want to go in alone to meet Dimo?” Rosvisser asked, clearly worried.

Leon nodded. “Yeah. Don’t worry. I’ve got this.”

“…Alright. Just be careful. Don’t let them see through you.”

She still looked uneasy, but since Leon had made up his mind, she didn’t press further. As long as he followed the plan, it would be fine.

“Okay. You and Noa, Xiaoxue—just wait here. I’ll bring back good news.”

With that, he patted his eldest daughter’s head.

“Be safe, Dad.”

“Good luck, Uncle Leon.”

Leon gave a light “mm,” turned around, and stepped through the trees—toward the heart of the Golden Thunder Clan.