Duke Pendragon

Black hair and a handsome, chiseled face.

"No. T, that's not…?"

Many of the hundreds of nobles gathered had seen Alan Pendragon in the past. Even though Count Elven's words as the governor-general of Edenfield were credible, they stared at Raven with disbelief.

Tap. Tap.

After being introduced by Count Elven, Raven slowly stepped forward. Then he started exuding the Spirit of the Dragon.

Something astounding took place.

"Huh!?"

"How…?"

The eyes of the nobles filled with shock and wonder.

A faint glow covered the face of the man introduced by Count Elven as the founding king of the Pendragon Kingdom. His face was gradually changing shape. His hair, which was obsidian black, gradually turned into a brilliant gold color. His sharp jawline also transformed into a smooth curve.

Finally, his black eyes became colored a brilliant blue.

"Ohh…!"

Soon, the faint glow disappeared, and some of the nobles trembled with shock.

"Alan Pendragon! It truly is His Majesty Alan Pendragon, the founding king of the Pendragon Kingdom!"

"I remember the face from seven years ago! It really is the founding king of the Pendragon Kingdom!"

Several nobles shouted with excitement. Most of them could be considered high-ranking nobles amongst the gathered crowd. In the past, they had seen Alan Pendragon in Leus and the imperial castle.

When the high-ranking nobles started shouting with excitement, even those who were unfamiliar with Alan Pendragon's appearance clenched their fists with elation.

"Uwaaahh!"

"It is the founding king of the Pendragon Kingdom! The legendary figure is truly…!"

The banquet hall was quickly stormed with buzz. Even the Knight King of Valvas and the Pendragon Kingdom's prince were mysterious, veiled figures in the noble society. However, the founding king was even more legendary and mysterious.

"Your Majesty Pendragon! Do you remember me?"

"Hmm, if it isn't Lord Bailis of Rodan? We met before in the past, just before I left the Great Territory of Alice!"

"Oh! That is right! You do remember!"

The nobleman shouted loudly, trembling with thrill and excitement. Even though it was a short encounter of eight years ago, Raven still remembered. The noble felt emotional as all of his doubts melted away.

Raven slowly raised his hand while looking around at the crowd.

The nobles stopped talking and gazed at him with quivering eyes.

"It is good to meet all of you, esteemed nobles of the Aragon Empire. Originally, I planned not to reveal my face because of a few reasons, but governor-general Elven persuaded me to greet all of you."

"Ohhh…!"

"Many of you might have considered me dead. You were half correct. I definitely died along with Soldrake, the guardian god of Pendragon and my soul's companion. However…"

Without mentioning the war of the gods, Raven explained to the crowd that the gods allowed him to return to the world with Soldrake as a reward for extinguishing the evil witch.

However, he purposely left out the fact that Soldrake had given up on her throne, that she was no longer the strongest being on earth. The true power of Pendragon was Soldrake, and the truth remained unchanged even if she could no longer transform into a dragon.

There was no need for him to tell the truth, since it could serve to create problems for the Pendragon Kingdom in the future.

"Ah…"

The gods, dragon, and resurrection.

His words were akin to an incredible fantasy, but none of the nobles doubted Raven's words.

The reason was simple.

Even when he was a duke, Alan Pendragon was a hero of the Aragon Empire who always achieved impossible things. Most importantly, the current emperor, Ian, and the Lindegor Duchy had announced the situation to the world at the time and proclaimed Raven as a hero of the empire.

Distrusting his words would be akin to doubting the emperor. In addition, the hundreds of nobles were on the verge of losing their reason with great excitement after seeing a legendary hero in person.

"Now! Let us make a toast for His Majesty King Pendragon!"

Count Elven raised his wine glass, and the nobles vigorously mirrored his gesture.

"To His Majesty the Emperor and His Majesty King Pendragon!"

"To His Majesty the Emperor and His Majesty King Pendragon!"

The loud chants of the nobles resounded throughout the banquet hall.

The intense emotions and excitement did not disappear throughout the remainder of the banquet.

***

"Phew…"

"Great work, my lord."

"I'm only doing it because I need to. I should say the same to you."

Raven responded with a smile while patting Isla on the shoulder. Raven's face was already returned to its original state. Isla felt his eyes stinging once more as he felt the touch of his monarch's hand. His shoulders were trembling ever-so-slightly.

"I truly cannot believe it. To think that I am meeting the lord like this again…"

"I never doubted it, just as you never did either. I knew I would definitely see you again."

"My lord…"

Isla chocked up and bowed his head.

The past seven years passed through his mind like lightning.

He always did his best as the king of Valvas and a knight of the Pendragon Kingdom. However, the emptiness was always there. The absence of his lord, close friend, and comrade could never be replaced.

"Thank you, Elkin."

"Not at all. Now that you finally returned… I could die and have no regrets."

"Die? What do you mean? You and I, we both have a lot of things to do, do we not?"

"Well, that's right."

Isla raised his head with a glimmer in his e yes.

The Shadow Brotherhood and Margrave Mirin.

They would pay for their crimes.

"By the way, my lord, would it not have been better for you to hide your identity to deal with them?"

Isla accepted Raven's decision as absolute. Therefore, even though he had some doubts, he accepted the lord's judgement to reveal his revival and disclose his identity.

"You have a point. But unfortunately, we are ignorant as to why they tried kidnapping Raymond and Mia. Moreover, we do not know how they will act from now on. That is why we need to be forthright about how we approach this issue.

"Hmm."

"I publicly announced my existence. Even though Mirin is located very far from here, the news will spread within ten days. It should be quite shocking for them. They will most likely react, although I am unsure as to the form it will take."

"I see."

The existence of Alan Pendragon itself was an enormous variable. It was a huge variable that could completely turn the tides. Alan Pendragon was a legendary hero who reigned as the strongest warrior of the emperor during his life. He was supposed to be dead, but miraculously, he had returned to life.

The whole world would be turned upside down, and those who kidnapped his son and sister would be devastated. They would fall into confusion due to the unexpected turn of events, which would always cause them to make a mistake.

Humans were bound to make errors when they were frightened, confused, and faced with an unexpected, enormous variable.

"Then after that…"

"I should go meet with Ian first. After that, I will head to the Lindegor Duchy. We will have to meet one of your bride candidates, and we need to pass through the Lindegory Duchy to get to Mirin."

"Yes."

Isla responded with a look of determination. Raven smirked and replied.

"It is important to condemn those who attempted to kidnap my son and sister, but your marriage is not an issue to be taken lightly either. So make sure you do not neglect your duties, Elkin."

"Hmm, yes, my lord."

He would have ignored it or returned a similar remark if it had been from anyone else, but Isla felt somewhat joyful and shy as he bowed his head.

"Now, go rest. I should go see my babies."

"Ah…! Of course. I was thoughtless…"

Raven was seeing his son for the first time, and his sister after seven years. The two would have as much, or an even greater sense of joy and fulfilment after seeing their family for the first time in a long time.

***

"Ray."

Soldrake greeted Raven as soon as he walked in.

"Brother!"

"Dad! I, I mean, Your Majesty!"

Simultaneously, Mia approached him with a bright smile and quivering eyes, while Raymond, who had been waiting anxiously, ran forward before stopping himself and showing courtesy.

"You brat."

Raven burst into a huge grin and lifted his son by the armpits.

"You grew up so well. Really, you grew up so well."

"Hehehe!"

The prince quickly abandoned his façade and returned to a child of his age. He was overjoyed to feel his father's large, reliable hands and embrace.

Moreover, he was happy that they looked similar.

"Raymond, you have become a child, hmm?"

"Hehe!"

Mia spoke with a smile after seeing the duo, and Raymond responded with a grin of his own.

"By the way, brother, why did you change your face again? Why did you not retain your original appearance?"

"Why not? Do you dislike it? What about you, Raymond?"

"Not at all! I like this way better!"

Elsia resembled their father as he looked in the portraits. However, Raymond had always been troubled that he did not resemble his father. However, his father's current face was somehow similar to himself. He could only feel joy after having all of his worries disappear completely.

"I do not care what kind of appearance you have, brother. No matter what, you will always be my brother."

Mia spoke firmly.

"Thank you for saying that. To tell the truth, this face is…"

Raven contemplated for a moment, then continued.

"Do you remember when I regained consciousness in the past?"

"Yes."

Mia nodded. She remembered the time when her brother was knocked unconscious after failing to establish a contract with Soldrake.

"I do not know who it was, but I acquired someone else's memories during that time. He was a knight who faced an unjust death on the battlefield… Perhaps he was the reason I was able to wake up. This is his face."

No matter what anyone said, he was Raven Valt.

However, only Soldrake knew the truth. The ones who made him human and showed him love were unaware of the truth. As such, he twisted the truth to avoid hurting them and explained the situation by switching the two persona's perspectives.

"Oh! I see."

"Well, and for some reason, I maintained this appearance when I woke up in the divine world. It was the same when I was revived with Soldrake. So it does not feel all too awkward now."

"Then at the banquet hall…"

"I used the Spirit of the Dragon to return to my original appearance for a while. But since my spirit is not infinite, I cannot indefinitely maintain my original face. Until we figure out a solution, I think it would be best for me to keep this face."

"Yes! I like you either way, brother!"

"But I like you more now…"

Raymond became a little sullen.

His father's original appearance was very nice and good, but he rather preferred the two of them resembling each other.

"Raymond, no matter what you look like, you are my son. You are the son of Alan Pendragon, the prince of the Pendragon Kingdom. You are my son."

He had only ever dreamt of his father's soft, but firm voice.

"Yes…!"

The young child broke out into a large grin.