Mobuseka:Leon's Adventure

"Angelica?.." Leon muttered in surprise upon hearing her last name. He froze in place, his gaze shifting toward the direction some people in the crowd were pointing. And then—he saw her.

Angelica Redgrave.

She was breathtaking.

"Wow..." the thought rushed through his mind. "She looked beautiful in the game. In the manga, too. But in reality... she's ten times more stunning!"

He couldn't tear his eyes away from her. Angelica, however, seemed completely unaware of the commotion around her. She walked forward with unwavering confidence, following Prince Julius as if the whispers and gazes of the crowd didn't concern her in the slightest.

Leon let out a heavy sigh and closed his eyes, trying to suppress his disappointment.

"Haaaa... Too bad I can't approach her yet..."

But then—

He started picking up on an unusual murmur within the crowd.

Up until now, he had grown used to hearing Prince Julius' fangirls fawning over their idol, gossiping about him on every corner. However, this time… it wasn't women whispering.

It was men.

Leon opened his eyes, only to realize he was surrounded.

The men around him had expressions of admiration, respect, and… gratitude?

Suddenly, a loud voice cut through the air—

"It's him! The hero! The savior! Leon Bartfort!"

"Hero?!" the crowd echoed in unison.

And then—

The crowd erupted in cheers of pure exhilaration.

The noise was so overwhelming that even the attention previously directed at Prince Julius and his entourage instantly vanished. Now, all eyes were on Leon.

— "Thank you! If it weren't for you, I would've ended up married to that old hag!" cried out one man, running up to Leon, on the verge of tears.

— "I would've been doomed without you!" another one chimed in, already sobbing.

And then…

It began.

Hundreds of men suddenly started thanking him, some even openly weeping out of sheer relief.

They surrounded him in a tight circle.

Wherever Leon turned his head—he saw nothing but men.

Not a single woman.

Not. A. Single. Woman.

"I mean… I'm happy I helped so many people, but…" Leon groaned internally, forcing an awkward smile. "Wouldn't it be much better if I were surrounded by fangirls instead of… this?"

— "No need to thank me!" he said loudly, trying to maintain his dignity. "It was my duty to help my fellow comrades in distress!"

The crowd roared in approval.

Leon let out a deep sigh.

"This is definitely not the kind of fan club I was hoping for…"

Just then, Luxion—who had been in stealth mode—spoke up beside him.

— "Master, it seems that men adore you… Perhaps it's time to let go of your unrealistic dream of finding a woman?"

Leon immediately tensed up. His face flushed red with rage.

"That damn AI! I need to figure out how to put him in his place!"

Taking a deep breath, he forced himself to ignore Luxion's mocking remark. Now wasn't the time to argue with a machine.

Just as he was about to ask the crowd to disperse—

Someone suddenly grabbed him under the arms, lifted him up, and started carrying him somewhere.

— "We need to drink!" a loud voice declared. "To our great hero, the savior of Bartfort!"

— "YEAH!!!" the crowd roared in unison, fully supporting the idea.

— "Good luck enjoying your time, Master," Luxion remarked, his tone dripping with sarcasm.

— "You son of a—Luxion!" Leon screamed internally, struggling in vain as he was carried off to the bar.

---

Meanwhile…

Not too far away, Prince Julius and his entourage stood observing the scene, exchanging glances.

— "Bartfort…" Julius muttered thoughtfully, keeping his hands behind his back. A flicker of memory crossed his eyes. "Mother met with him recently. I heard he surprised her."

— "Hmph. So that's the so-called 'legendary hero,' the 'savior of the Bartforts,'" Greg scoffed, the most muscular one in the group. He crossed his arms over his chest, critically analyzing Leon. "Doesn't even look strong. Probably just relies on his lost items… Tch, guys like that piss me off."

— "Agreed," Chris, the son of the Holy Sword, chimed in. "His swordsmanship is… primitive. He's nowhere near your level."

— "Of course," Jilk, Julius' foster brother and most loyal supporter, sneered. Leon would call him the worst of the bunch. "He climbed the ranks purely by chance."

Julius sighed, looking at his companions with mild irritation.

— "Enough," he said firmly. "Regardless of your opinions, he's achieved a great deal for the kingdom. And at a young age, no less. Don't downplay his accomplishments."

With that, the prince turned around and began walking toward the academy.

— "Let's take a walk instead," he added without looking back.

---

Angelica's Perspective

A few steps behind them, walking gracefully along the path, was Angelica Redgrave.

Her eyes remained focused forward, but her thoughts were completely absorbed by Leon Bartfort.

"So this is the Bartfort who caught the attention of my brother and father…" she mused, narrowing her eyes slightly.

This man had rapidly climbed the political ladder, secured a formidable reputation, and—judging by recent events—held real influence.

Ignoring someone like him would be foolish.

"A man like that… could prove useful to His Highness Julius."

Her expression remained composed, but deep inside, she was already calculating how to establish contact with this strange yet promising individual.