Leon showcased the stove that he developed himself. In response, the two elderly was blown out of their mind.
"Little Leon, slow down for a bit. What did you just do to this stove?" Grandma Elizabeth can not believe it.
She was an elite who got to try out the best of technological advancements during her generation's days of glory but she has yet to encounter such an ingenious design.
A stove that could be powered by Shell Energy itself. If everyone can have this gadget, then cooking food will no longer be such a regular hassle. It is a revolutionary project.
"Little Leon, how is it possible to achieve such a feat. The closest thing to what you have shown would be Shell Crystal technology. Shell Crystal is a very expensive resource. Did you secretly mount a Shell Crystal on that stove?" Lord Oliver is also in doubt, but nonetheless astounded by the feat his grandson has showed them.
"Shell Crystal? So that is the energy source used for special technology? I heard it costs 100 gold coins to purchase a single crystal and even then, it is still not guaranteed that anyone would sell it willingly." Leon has also known about Shell Crystals when he was studying alone.
"That's exactly the point Little Leon, that is why we really need to know the truth about this technology that you have shown us. Is this really not powered by Shell Crystals?" Grandma Elizabeth asks once more.
"Yes, it is true grandma. There is definitely no Shell Crystals inside this stove. Look, let me show you the parts." Leon confirms the truth and began to dismantle the interior parts of the stove.
When Leon was done dismantling, he showed his grandparents what he took out from the stove. It was a set of Shell Energy infused stones.
However, when a person who has no idea what they are looking at examines them, they would most likely brush it off as a joke and think they are normal stones.
But the Oliver old couple have a much sharper eye than others.
"Here, I will show you. These are the only things needed to power the stove. They are what I call Elemental Stones." Leon proudly presents his creations.
Thinking about the sleepless night he went through to develop this technique, Leon felt that everything was worth it in the end.
Now, he can finally make his grandparents proud of his work.
"Elemental Stones? Where did you get these types of stones? They are indeed saturated with Shell Energy. I have never seen nor heard about these stones in my long years." Grandma Elizabeth is bewildered to hear a new term.
Lord Oliver also can not believe his eyes. It was a stone filled with Shell Energy. He tries to activate the Shell Energy inside the stone using his Outer Shell but there was no reaction.
"Hmm? Little Leon is your stone not working anymore? Nothing happened when I channeled energy into it." Lord Oliver consulted Leon, confused by the result.
"Oh, you got it wrong Grandpa. Those particular stones you are holding will not activate unless you light a fire above it. The fire will also immediately die out once you light it up since it is unable to detect a material above it. However, please do try to light it for testing purposes." Leon explained.
"Oh, is that so? I better try it then. Ha!" Lord Oliver lights a fire above the stone and a blue flame about 5 centimeters tall lights up.
"Woah, what a magnificent stone! Haha! This is even better than a Shell Crystal!" Lord Oliver excitedly exclaims while holding the lit up Elemental stone.
The stone then automatically died down as it detects that there is no material above it.
"Phew, I have not experienced so much excitement over a piece of technology in a while now. Little Leon, this is amazing. These Elemental stones, as your grandma asked, where did you get these?" Lord Oliver asked Leon.
"Are you asking for the stones or the Elemental stones? This is actually part of what I wanted to say to you tonight. The stones were just acquired from our Manor, I gathered some large rocks that are fit for the stove." Leon explains in a hushed tone.
"Little Leon, the stones were discovered in the Manor? I have not noticed anything special with the rocks that surrounds us." Grandma Elizabeth, on the side, comments.
"No, no, what I meant was, the stones that were gathered in the Manor was regular stones with nothing special to them. But, I turned them into Elemental stones using a special ability." Leon finally drops the crucial point.
"Little Leon, did I hear that right just now? You created these Elemental stones? You did?" Lord Oliver clarifies further.
Leon nods his head in affirmation.
"...."
"...."
"...."
There was a short silence. Grandma Elizabeth and Lord Oliver shared a look and approaches Leon.
"Little Leon, what an amazing boy you truly are. I am so proud of you." Grandma Elizabeth hugs Leon with teary eyes but his fat belly gets in the way allowing half a hug.
"Hmm, a true Oliver." Lord Oliver gives a wide smile and a thumbs up to Leon.
"G-grandpa, grandma, -uuuooowaaah! Thank you for not giving up on me! Thank you for taking me in with you! I promise to do my best always. I will change it for the better." Leon cries as he speaks the words he has always wanted to say to his loving grandparents.
His Grandfather, a strong and sturdy wall that will protect him from the storms that will come.
His Grandmother, a warm and tender blanket that will comfort him whenever he feels down.
'So this is how it feels to be loved. I almost forgot about it. I wish Mom was here to be with us.'
An elegant and graceful figure with a warm aura flashed in Leonvolt's mind. Her sweet smile as she sings him a lullaby when he goes to sleep. Their cuddles together were the most enjoyable ones.
'Mom, I miss you.'
Leon missed his mother who is no longer with them.
-
After dinner, the Oliver family decided to change their venue to the Head Office.
Lord Oliver wants to give Leon his welcome present in formally joining the Oliver family.
"Little Leon, your grandpa is very proud of you for what you are capable of doing. You are also a very sweet and caring child." Lord Oliver compliments Leon.
"But this is also why I am worried about you. You are a very soft-hearted child with a heart of gold. You will be the best leader to follow on our footsteps. But not everyone will like you. Just as I make enemies by being the Lord of the North, you will too once you take the helm."
Lord Oliver states a very important affair that a leader should know.
"I want you to be ready, to be trained. To become a fit leader, you must learn from the very bottom. Learn the mindset of common people, learn their thoughts, learn their flaws, and learn their brilliance. Nobody is perfect. Everyone makes mistakes. But the Lord should not allow mistakes to happen."
Lord Oliver continues with his sermon.
"A Lord is a symbol of honor and they must light up the road that everyone must follow. They must make the road for everyone to pass through. Being the Lord is a hard task. But I see it in you, Little Leon. The potential of a Great Lord." Lord Oliver ends his sermon with encouragement.
"Yes, Grandpa I will live up to your expectations." Leon replies to Lord Oliver.
"Little Leon, come forward. This is my welcome gift for you, my dear grandson." Grandma Elizabeth hands Leon a big gift box.
"Thank you Grandma. I will open it right away." Leon says excitedly.
Leon rarely receives any gifts from other people personally even when his birthday arrives.
The gifts just suddenly piles up in front of the Royal Castle without him seeing the person who gave it.
Perhaps only his elder sister, the 6th Princess, would come and give her present to Leon personally and even celebrate with him.
Leon opens the gift that his grandma gave him. It was a fiery red long coat. It is a little taller than Leon's height.
"Little Leon, this coat is made from the fur of a Firefox monster. It is an heirloom that has been passed from my ancestor's time. Now, I give it to you as the symbol of a descendant of the Froljina Tribal clan." Grandma Elizabeth explains the heritage of the coat.
"Grandma, I will treasure this coat that you gave me. Thank you very much." Leon was amazed by the gift that his grandma gave.
A Firefox monster is a very dangerous beast to hunt.
It is able to move nimbly and also able to control the element of fire. It can simply dodge attacks while it prepares its own counter attack. A tricky monster.
It is truly a marvel how humanity's old ancestors were able to survive an environment filled with those types of monsters roaming the world.
"Now, now, the star of the show should be my gift to you Little Oliver. Your grandma's gift may be very valuable in terms of heritage and culture but I believe my gift does not pale in comparison." Lord Oliver brags to Leon.
"Oho, let us see the gift that you are so confident in then." Grandma Elizabeth's competitiveness was ignited by Lord Oliver's words.
Women, no matter the age, are still quite hard to figure out.
"Alright, Little Leon I will give you this gift to commemorate your entry to the Oliver family. I hope you are able to do more great things in your lifetime. I think you will like it very much, it pairs well with the coat your grandma gave you." Lord Oliver gives a wink to Grandma Elizabeth on the side....
"Hmph."
.....which gets ignored.
Leon accepts the gift box that Lord Oliver gave him. It was a pair of leather gloves and a pair of daggers.
"Little Leon, I bestow upon you these gifts as a symbol of acceptance towards the Rrevilho Tribal Clan. These items will also prove your right to succeed the Great Tribal Clan. Now, I name you my sole successor, in the name of Gregory Oliver, the 16th Great Tribal Head." Lord Oliver states smilingly. He gives Leon a hug.
"Great Tribal Clan? Grandpa, is the Oliver family still part of the Great Tribal Clan of the Olden North?"
Leon is surprised by what his grandparents are currently revealing.
He has read about the Rise of the Preston Kingdom and its development over the years. The most mind-boggling would be the role of the North in its history.
The North actually never fought in the war of the Central Continent two milleniums ago.
They instead fought off the rampaging monsters that ravaged in the Icespike Mountains and Silent Forest. The Coldriver Plains was a death zone then.
The 10 Northern Tribes banded together to survive the ordeal.
When the Continental War concluded, the Preston Kingdom was established. The Founding King of Preston was very grateful to the 10 Northern Tribes for their efforts in maintaining the peace in the North.
The King wanted to award the 10 Tribes with Noble titles but his ministers disagreed, saying that their direct role to the establishment of the Kingdom is insufficient. Awarding them separately was too much but they can allow 1 Noble title to be awarded.
The 10 Northern Tribes, who have formed a bond over the years of fighting together, decided that it is for the best to merge their clans together and become a true Great Tribe. They did not want to pull apart the families that belonged to different tribes.
They merged their tribes to become the Great Tribal Clan of the North.
They were awarded the lands of the North that nobody wanted since the old Lord died due to the bandits and the North is infested by ferocious monsters.
The King then gave the "Oliver" name to the head of the Great Tribe, together with a noble title. It was the Chronicle of the Northern Territory of the Preston Kingdom.
"To actually maintain the culture and heritage of the Great Tribal Clan for 2000 years, for 16 generations, our family is so cool." Leon marvels over the fact that he knows.
"We are indeed cool. Guhahahaha!" Lord Oliver guffawed loudly.
"Hmm, Little Leon, aside from the Royal families and other 1st-tier and 2nd-tier Noble households, the Oliver family is one of the oldest families in the Continent. We are indeed the coolest." Grandma Elizabeth also gave a cool evaluation.
"Here Little Leon, try them out." Grandma Elizabeth helps Leon put on the gloves.
It is a little loose in his hand but it is a comfy fit.
"What do you think Little Leon? Is it a good gift?" Lord Oliver asks Leon.
"Yes, it is the best Grandpa. Thank you very much." Leon liked it very much.
Leon then looked at the pair of daggers inside the box and picked them up, holding a dagger each in both hands.
As he inspects the two daggers, there was a sudden prompt.
[System Prompt]
[Shell System Shard contact]
[System Options enhanced]
[System AI updated]
[Current System AI incomplete. Please fix immediately. After this message, AI will shut down. Option's ease of access enabled. Good Tidings.]
Leonvolt is shocked by the system prompt that followed.