Chapter 207: Leon and Lorraine
The outskirts of Stoneheart City.
The morning sunlight shone through the window and entered the living room.
Lorraine sat on the sofa, tightly holding a newspaper she had already read an unknown number of times.
At the very top of the newspaper, occupying almost half the entire page, was a photograph of a white-haired youth standing in the center of the arena, raising the championship trophy that symbolized the highest glory of the First Layer high above his head.
His black combat uniform had already been badly damaged.
His face was also visibly pale.
However, his eyes were calm and bright.
Below the photograph were several extremely eye-catching words.
[Human Champion—Zich Grave]
Lorraine stared at the photograph. Only after a long time did she reach out and gently brush her fingers across the familiar face printed on the newspaper.
"This picture wasn’t taken well."
Sitting on the other side of the room, Leon was repairing an old iron shovel. Hearing her words, he raised his head and glanced over.
"What’s wrong with it?"
"He’s too thin."
Lorraine frowned.
"Look at his face. It’s an entire size smaller than when he left home."
Leon placed down the tool in his hand and smiled helplessly.
"He just finished fighting so many matches and suffered such serious injuries. Of course he would look a little thinner."
"Besides, didn’t the healer already say that he had almost completely recovered?"
Lorraine ignored him. She placed the newspaper aside and picked up the communication device resting on the table.
The screen was currently playing an interview recorded after the finals yesterday.
In the image, Zich was surrounded by countless reporters.
One amplification crystal after another was practically pressed against his face.
"Contestant Zich, before the finals began, were you already confident that you could defeat Ainos?"
"After defeating two Nullborns, do you believe the gap between humanity and the Nullborns still exists?"
"Have you already decided to join one of the top guilds?"
"There are rumours that the Green Group, the Players Association, and the Vilhart Family have all extended invitations to you. Is that true?"
Faced with the endless stream of questions, Zich merely stood there calmly. It was only when a reporter asked what he wanted to do most after winning the championship that he fell silent for a moment.
Then he answered.
"Go home and eat."
Hearing those words, Lorraine’s eyes once again became slightly red.
"This child..." She lowered her head and secretly wiped the corner of her eye.
"He won such a major tournament, yet he still didn’t think to contact home first."
"Didn’t he contact us last night?" Leon reminded her.
"President Arthur made him do that."
"What’s the difference?"
"Of course there’s a difference."
Lorraine glared at him.
Leon immediately lowered his head and continued working on the shovel in his hands, no longer arguing with her.
However, the smile at the corner of his mouth never disappeared.
Last night, when Zich’s call had truly connected, neither of them had actually managed to speak a complete sentence.
Lorraine cried for a long time.
Leon merely sat beside her, repeatedly saying, "It’s good that you’re coming back."
In the end, it was Zich who continuously comforted them, telling them that he had not been injured and had never encountered any danger.
Although all three of them knew not a single one of those words was true, no one exposed the lie.
The house became quiet once again, and sunlight fell across the table.
Championship reports, tournament posters, and several photographs from Zich’s childhood had been arranged neatly together.
In one photograph, a young Zich was crouching beside the cemetery, holding a small dog he had found somewhere in his arms, yet there was barely any smile on his face.
In another photograph, he had already begun following Leon and learning how to clean gravestones.
At the time, the white-haired youth was still extremely small and thin. He could not even properly hold an ordinary iron shovel, yet he stubbornly refused to allow his father to help him.
Lorraine picked up the photograph.
"He was already this stubborn when he was little."
Leon glanced at it.
"He takes after you."
"He clearly takes after you."
Just as the two were about to start arguing again—
Knock, knock, knock.
A very polite knocking sound suddenly came from outside the door.
Lorraine was slightly startled.
"Who could it be this early?"
Leon stood up.
"Maybe it’s one of the neighbours."
He walked toward the door and opened it.
The next moment, Leon’s movements suddenly stopped.
Standing outside was a youth who appeared to be around seventeen years old.
His short, light-green hair had been neatly combed, and he wore an exquisitely crafted yet understated white coat. A green badge shaped like an ancient tree was pinned to his chest.
There were none of the guards Leon had imagined behind him.
There was only a middle-aged man dressed in a formal black suit, carrying several ordinary-looking gift boxes.
The green-haired youth smiled when he saw Leon and gave a slight bow.
"Hello. May I ask if this is the home of Mr. Zich Grave?"
Leon looked at him cautiously.
"Who are you?"
The youth did not become angry because of his attitude. Instead, he introduced himself naturally.
"My name is Jack Green. I’m from the Green Group."
Inside the living room, Lorraine, who had been arranging the newspapers, immediately stopped moving.
The Green Group.
Even though they were merely ordinary people living on the outskirts of the city, there was no possibility that they had never heard that name.
It was one of the largest powers in the world.
Technology, healthcare, potions, equipment, spatial transportation, and countless other industries all bore the shadow of the Green Group behind them.
Moreover, the ancient tree badge pinned to the youth’s chest was not something an ordinary employee could possess.
Leon remained silent for several seconds.
However, he did not immediately step aside.
"You’re looking for Zich?"
"To be precise..." Jack shook his head. "I came here today to visit the two of you."