Chapter 124: Memoirs of a Proud Father 2
As time passed, the Leon household would occasionally receive letters from Ramiro, assuring them that he was doing just fine.
The very first letter was a lengthy one, filled with his excitement about joining the sect, the fascinating people he'd met, and the friendships he was forming. Most notably, he had reconnected with Elton.
Carlos Sr., his wife, his son Ricardo—who happened to be visiting at the time—and of course the twins, were ecstatic to receive such positive news. In the letter, Ramiro repeatedly complained about someone named Zoro, calling him a "katana-wielding fool," but from Carlos' perspective, it seemed clear that Ramiro liked him almost as much as Elton.
Over time, the letters became more seasonal, which was understandable considering the intense training and responsibilities that came with life in a sect.
Then came the beginning of the current war.
The Bright Blade Subsect was destroyed—and Ramiro disappeared.
The entire family was devastated. Carlos' usually bright and energetic twin daughters fell into a deep depression. Carlos Sr. sent search teams out immediately, but none returned with any news. As the wars escalated, and the dimensional gate opened, the only report they managed to receive was that Ramiro, along with Elton, Zoro, and several others, had taken off on a flying sword into the distance.
This information came courtesy of the Aka Boshi no Tengan Clan, who had members that were originally on the same flying sword who fell off midflight.
Strangely enough, while the Leon Clan prepared for war, Carlos and his household—though still concerned—began to hold onto renewed hope. Somehow, they knew Ramiro was still alive. And indeed, they were right.
Nearly a year later, they finally received a letter from Ramiro himself. He had returned—alive and stronger than ever—and had even reached the Gold Tier.
Everyone was stunned. His progress was unbelievable.
"Just two years ago, he was barely Silver Tier 3…"
The twins, upon hearing this, immediately begged to join the Bright Brilliant Blade Sect. Naturally, Carlos refused. Instead, he allowed them to join the resurging Great Brawlman Sect—not as full-fledged disciples, but in a more flexible role.
The Great Brawlman Sect, after all, had unique rules: stricter in some areas, more relaxed in others.
The twins would return home every three to four months, exhausted—not from training, but from suppressing their true selves in front of the other disciples. Carlos Sr. and his wife were long used to their antics by this point, and simply let it be.
Then, several months ago, while Carlos' forces were deployed in various regions, he received intriguing news.
"Milord, I bring urgent word! The White Star Radiance unit from the Bright Brilliant Blade Sect is en route to assist us in the ongoing war effort. They're also fulfilling several key missions."
Carlos Sr.'s eyes lit up.
"Is that so?! Excellent. As per the Fourth Prince's plans, I'll send a decent sized force. Dispatch the Tercera Fuerza Armada (Third Armed Force) to that region immediately!"
Following his command, the Leon forces linked up with Baron Emerson's and Viscount Carlson's troops as they moved to meet the White Star Radiance and other sect reinforcements.
As time went on, reports continued to pour in about their battlefield exploits—and Carlos Sr. was beyond impressed.
Such a young, disciplined, and terrifyingly strong group…
There were even mentions of someone suspected to be Ramiro. The physical description differed quite a bit from when Carlos had last seen his son, but that was expected as he was growing into a man. Ramiro was now reported to be over six feet tall, even taller than Carlos himself.
"Sir Baron! Urgent news from Captain Rodríguez—it's about White Star Radiance!"
Every passing report made Carlos more astonished. Not only were there incredible tales of strategy and unity, but the legends of Daoist Blue Heavens Sword and Daoist Black Devil Blades only continued to grow. At such a young age, they were already standing toe-to-toe with top-tier experts.
Most shocking was the confirmation—based on skill, technique, and description—that the young man wielding spear techniques from the Leon Clan was very likely Ramiro.
Yet, the reports noted something peculiar: Ramiro's spear arts were modified. He had taken the traditional Leon techniques and added his own spin—something that Carlos needed to investigate himself.
Then, the next report arrived.
"Milord! I bring shocking news—Daoist Blue Heavens Sword and Daoist Black Devil Blades both managed to defeat two Golden Lord experts… and they're still just at Gold Tier 3!"
Carlos nearly dropped the report.
It wasn't just them—numerous Gold Tier 3 and Tier 4 experts had also fallen to this group. It was in that same clash that the now-notorious Daoist Heaven Star Eyes emerged as a terrifying presence on the battlefield.
Though she had yet to be officially named, everyone knew her as a young expert from the Aka Boshi no Tengan Clan, blessed with monstrous skill and terrifying precision with her clan's bloodline ability.
Carlos also heard whispers from noble families speculating on her identity, but most dared not speak her name aloud for fear of offending the Aka Boshi no Tengan Clan.
That she had already reached Gold Tier 2 was terrifying. What was more shocking was that she was overshadowing 2 other monstrous geniuses who fought beside her.
Soon after, Carlos' twin daughters returned home once more. They witnessed the changing state of Brawlmanica with their own eyes. Carlos Sr. intentionally withheld details about White Star Radiance from them, especially now that their name was spreading rapidly across the country.
Many heard of the group's former name—the Laughing Blue Reapers—but their true origins remained shrouded in mystery.
Oddly enough, this time, Isabella and Gabriela didn't return to the Great Brawlman Sect. Though Carlos and his wife didn't want to push them away, they also didn't want them discovering the truth about their dear "Rami Rey" too soon.
Their excuse? That things in the sect were too chaotic at the moment, and they wished to assist the Leon Clan directly on the battlefield.
Proud but cautious, Carlos assigned them to a squad tasked with protecting Leon territory and assisting neighboring regions.
It worked… for a while.
Eventually, Tercera Fuerza Armada returned and was reassigned to the new primary battlefront alongside four other Leon divisions. Carlos Sr. then deployed Carlos Jr. and Carmelita with a special operations unit to support White Star Radiance directly—and, secretly, to confirm whether or not Ramiro was among them.
He didn't expect what came next.
Information came pouring in faster than he could process it. Thanks to his children's presence, Carlos Sr. now likely knew more about the White Star Radiance's inner workings than almost any other noble house in Brawlmanica.
He confirmed it all:
Elton was indeed Daoist Blue Heavens Sword. Zoro was Daoist Black Devil Blades. Lady Christy had now earned her moniker, Daoist Heaven Star Eyes. And there were countless others among their ranks, some famous and others mysterious—but all formidable.
And among all of them…
His son, Ramiro Leon.
Carlos Sr. closed his eyes in thought, reflecting on everything up to that point. Inside the large command tent, his clan members were still gathered, discussing everything from battlefield logistics to political developments.
He had to do his best not to flinch every time Ramiro, the Fanged Elves, or Princess Helga were brought up.
The start of very impactful events had all begun not long after Carlos Jr., leading the Leon Clan's special forces, started reporting on unexpected developments—ones that would soon shift the political and social standing of the entire clan.
Carlos Sr. found himself drifting again, back into memory… to the earliest whispers of this unfolding situation.
"Sir, I bring a report. It's classified and known only to a few noble houses. Due to young master Ramiro's position, we've been included."
The elite Leon-clan soldier bowed before delivering the news.
Carlos Sr. sighed, already guessing what was coming.
"So, the royal family knows what we know… and they know that we know. As expected. Go ahead—what is it?"
"Princess Helga V. Helmsley, daughter of the surviving Third Prince Hamlet, has been assigned to White Star Radiance. It's for training purposes—and to strengthen political ties with the factions tied to the group."
"Oh? Is that so? Interesting… Send a message to Junior. Make guarding her his second priority. There may be trouble."
"Understood."
At first, the situation seemed manageable. Carlos Sr. received word that everything was progressing smoothly.
But a few days later, more reports began trickling in—each more curious than the last.
"Milord, we've confirmed that Princess Helga has been fully integrated into White Star Radiance. It's also believed she's being actively targeted. Thankfully, she's hard to identify because of the White Star Radiance's masks and banner above their attire. According to Sir Carlos Jr., she is currently grouped with the masked individual suspected to be… Sir Ramiro."
Carlos Sr. raised an eyebrow, nodded once, and simply said:
"Interesting. Keep me informed."
Time passed again.
"Milord, urgent update. There have been multiple assassination attempts on Princess Helga. Also… Daoist Blue Heavens… … …"
"Understood. Continue the surveillance."
And yet again…
"Milord, there's a rumor… They say Princess Helga might have found a lover within White Star Radiance. Allegedly, one of the spear users. But these are just rumors—no validation."
"Hmm. Spear users, huh… Anything else?"
"Well… no, sir."
Carlos Sr. narrowed his eyes at the soldier's hesitation but chose to let it go. Still, something nagged at him. The timing, the source… why this rumor now, in the middle of a war?
Granted, the Leon Clan wasn't the only faction with elite spear users, but it was hard to ignore how unnecessary this bit of gossip seemed—especially amidst the intensifying conflict.
More time passed.
Then came the next wave of reports—these ones much harder to dismiss.
"Milord… Ramiro's identity has essentially been confirmed. Also… Princess Helga recently broke through to Gold Tier during a major battle. The Leon Clan, White Star Radiance, and other warriors protected her throughout. A joint force of demons, demonic beasts, and assassins attempted to kill her during the breakthrough… but they failed."
Carlos Sr. slammed a fist against the armrest.
"Those bastards DARED?! And why does this always happen when Daoist Blue Heavens and the others are elsewhere?! What do they take my son for—a decoy?!"
He took a breath to calm down, but was visibly irritated.
"Still… so the Princess has broken through to Gold Tier. She truly is a remarkable young genius."
The soldier stood quietly for a moment, hesitant.
"Milord… there's one more matter."
Carlos Sr. frowned. His instincts suddenly tingled with unease. Unfortunately for him, his twin daughters, Isabella and Gabriela, had chosen that moment to visit the command tent. They now sat with their mother and several others, looking on with curious expressions.
"Go on," said Carlos Sr. with a sense of dread.
"There's a new rumor spreading… that Sir Ramiro and Princess Helga are engaged."
There was a beat of silence.
Then—
"OH!! He said Rami Rey!! Rami Rey is back?!" Isabella jumped up in joy.
"Rami Rey has returned! And he's a hero now!! We HAVE to go see him—eh?"
Gabriela, too, had lit up… until something in the air made her freeze mid-celebration.
And then—silence.
Carlos Sr. and his wife broke into cold sweat.
"What the hell is this bullshit?! ¿Qué?!" shouted the twins, along with Carlos Sr., though for very different reasons.
He could only stare at his daughters, realizing with horror that all their prim and proper behavior had completely vanished.
They've dropped the act… completely… he thought, sighing bitterly.
He and his wife quickly attempted to calm the situation down, warning the girls not to act rashly—but things were far from over.
Almost a week later.
"Milord, a report! Daoist Black Devil Blades and the Sir Dragon Spear Hero Ramiro had a massive falling out—an earth-shattering duel! No one knows who won, but both survived. Oh—and the young masked woman believed to be Princess Helga was seen again, this time in one of the White Star Radiance's Magic vehicles—reportedly sharing intimate moments with the Dragon Spear Hero alongside 4 others…"
Carlos Sr. could no longer contain his frustration.
"WHAT KIND OF RIDICULOUS RUMORS ARE THESE?! Even in this godforsaken war, why is this the kind of thing spreading?! And now people are flocking to Leon territory whether here or the clan like it's a holy site?!"
He slammed a hand on the table and cursed under his breath.
He knew the twins had definitely heard that last report. And now, there would be no stopping them from trying to reach Ramiro directly.
Back to the present…
Carlos Sr. clenched his fists.
"Yes, yes—I figured those two would want to seek him out. But as long as they didn't know his exact location, I had a chance to stop them. But if they're heading to this region… and they already know…"
He let out a growl of frustration.
"¡Maldición!" (Damnit!)
"Eh? You alright, Lord Baron?"
"Haha, what's got you so worked up, cousin?"
Carlos Sr. waved them off, sighing deeply. He had truly raised some excellent children…
But that third son of his—Ramiro—was simply too excellent for his own good.