Chapter 1: The Flaming General's Redemption

Both Lene and Sean take Seed with them to explore the town in Kyaro which it was his first time to see it.

"If you're saying this is your King's hometown, This is also where the leader of Dunan Army lives here too."

"You mean to tell me that Lord Riou also lives in the same roof as Lord Jowy's. That was intriguing..." Seed said and he sighs. "Unlike me before I rose my military ranks from the Captain to Vice General and now being the 3rd General. I grew up as a peasant somewhere in the entire Kingdom which is now you called it as a province."

"Honestly, red head... You don't know exactly what life between these two people. According to the history books, both Riou and Jowy participates in the Unicorn Brigade led by Rowd to be trained in the military at Tenzan Pass but it was caused a surprise attack led by the Highland army under Luca Blight's command. Also, Jowy lives with the aristocratic Atreides Family here in this town and being maltreated with his step-father Marcel Atreides and brother Marco." Sean explained everything and Seed was horribly surprised to hear the story.

"Lord Jowy didn't tell us everything about his life that he was being maltreated by his own family. That's when I'm still the captain on that time. So where are they now?"

"Apparently, when Jowy became the King as you know him from your timeline, the Atreides Family flees to Harmonia knowing that he will retaliate them for their maltreatment on him." Sean shrugged as he saw him clenching his fists.

"Those cowards! Why are they treat our King so badly?! These people has to be arrested for their actions and they have no right to treat our King as garbage." Seed gritted angrily when he learns about Jowy's maltreatment with his current family and Lene looked at both of them.

"You're pretty cute if you always mad at things..."

"Huh?"

"Anyway... let's go exploring the town."

The trio explores the town and Seed was surprised to see a mansion belongs to the royal Blight Family as Lene reveals to him that this is where Jillia lives in her childhood. Upon visiting Genkaku's house, Seed knows that Riou lives here. Afterwards, Sean decided to parted ways with Lene.

"I think it's about time to leave, Lene. I had investigations to worked on."

"All right, Sean..." Lene smiled as Sean looked at her in a worry.

"I know your capabilities, Lene. Are you sure that you're gonna look after this red headed guy?"

"I'm not gonna bite on him, Sean." Lene said and Sean smirks.

"Well, I'll be off..."

As Sean leaves the scene, Seed was relieved to see him leave and knowingly he was with Lene as he thought.

It seems that only me and that feisty girl left. It was the first time that I could see of how Lord Riou and Lord Jowy lived in the same roof especially Lady Jillia lives at the mansion before she stays at L' Renouille. But since this is a different timeline which is no conflict, I'm starting to get bored.

"So where are you headed into? You don't even tell your names after you showed the entire town to me." Seed said in a boastful tone as Lene replies.

"To Tenzan Pass... I'll tell you my name once we get here."

When they travelled through Tenzan Pass, Lene finally introduced herself to Seed and became shocked to know that she was both a princess and a heiress.

"I'm Lene Ashitare, a princess from the Silveria Kingdom and the heiress to the throne. I was known to represent the new era of prosperity."

"A princess...? If you were a princess? How come you were wearing different clothes rather than the clothes in royalty? I mean... you're not like how Lady Jillia who wear something elegant."

"I'm not aristocratic as you do, Seed." Lene sighed as she looked at him. "You still think I was on your timeline."

"Nah! I'm just curious of your clothes, Lene. It was new to me..."

As they arrived on the camp site, they seen people from Harmonia are taking a military camp for the trainees. Both Lene and Seed watch them closely.

"These people from Harmonia...? I remember that person named Sasarai who lend us a helping hand to fight off the Dunan Army. But it was short-lived when one of his allies, wiped him out with one powerful magic. That's why we lost the war battles."

"In the history record books, you were perished alongside the 4th General of Highland Army named Culgan when the Highland Kingdom is already fallen by the Dunan Army and it's leader. These people, they're the ones who made an alliance with other people from the Grasslands during the Second Fire Bringer War."

"..."

"You look so pale? It's like your temperamental behavior got extinguished." Lene said as Seed replies.

"I can't change my fate of being killed at the hands of Lord Riou, Lene. Culgan and I were both defeated in a valor fight and this is how we perished. We fought for our sake of our country in Highland."

"..."

"So I guess this camp site where Lord Jowy and Lord Riou participate at the Unicorn Brigade, is it?"

"Yes..." Lene confirms him and she goes to the falls as she knows the shortcut and Seed follows her.

When they arrived at the waterfalls, Seed noticed an "X" mark on the wall which Lene sees him.

"Whoever put that mark on the spot?"

"This is where both Riou and Jowy made a promise and these two are the ones who made an "X" mark on the wall before they jumped through the falls." Lene explained. "By the time the Highland Kingdom was fallen at the hands of Riou and his Dunan Army, he himself and Jowy fought in a duel to the death before Riou refuses to kill him because of their fates within the True Runes of their hands."

"So that means if all of us were dead and the Highland Kingdom has fallen. Then Lord Jowy had no choice but to escape his life." Seed said realizing the fall of their kingdom as he lowered his head in disappointment. "I trust Lord Jowy so much... He was the one that me and Culgan had freed us from Luca Blight's tyranny and we just hoped that he would lead Highland to a better future. But it turns out that this will be our ends..."

"..."

"I'd like to start over again. Back from being a peasant where I grew up and this is how I became an exceptional skilled swordsman and to wield a rune. Since I was on your timeline. I got nothing else to go..." Seed said finally made his decision to returning back from being his peasant days until suddenly they hear an explosion. "That explosion..."

"It's coming from the camp site..." Lene eventually went off to check the camp site which Seed follows her.

"Wait, Lene... you can't just leave me like this!"

When she arrives at the camp site, most soldiers were perished as the survivors are trying to escape from their lives. To her discovery, her half-uncle Doug was behind the attack and the cause of the wild fire.

"That should take care of these Harmonians. My half-brother Lars would be so furious upon learning of my treachery."

"Sir! Are you sure about this?"

"This will taint the Ashitare Family name and to rule in whoever stands in my way."

"How dare you insulting at my father, uncle!" Lene finally arrives to stop him which Doug was impressed to see her presence.

"If isn't Lars' daughter who was named as the princess and heir to the throne. I think it's about time to finish you up first. Men, seize her!"

Most soldiers corners Lene and seeing her half-uncle's treachery, she wields her double-sided tonfas to fight them off. Seed arrives to see Lene fighting the soldiers alone and recognizing the tonfa she wields similar to Riou's as he thought.

Her tonfas are like Lord Riou's. But they were in two sides. I maybe an enemy of this state and I have to change my fate.

Lene fends them off one by one with her double-sided tonfas as she also knocks them by shooting explosive tasers and the other resemble a shotgun. Only to be caught off by the other soldiers. Doug then tries to taunt her on purpose.

"I'm impressed that your father had taught you in miltary hand-to-hand combat techniques. You're just a second fiddle."

Suddenly, two flames form a walls of fire to incinerate the soldiers completely to rescue Lene and to her surprise, Seed casts his Fire Rune by using Fire Wall to save her and Doug was devastated to see this.

"Get your filthy hands off of her, you fiend!"

"Why you?" Doug soon escapes as Lene was surprised to see he uses the Rune and was fainted.

Seed knows that thick fires can cause some wild fires in the forest, he casts his Flowing Rune by unleashing Kindness Rain and the strong rains are able to stop the fire as it glows in a bluish light and he comes to Lene's side and he carries her to safety. Lene soon wakes up and ends up at Sajah Village and to her surprise Seed was with her.

"Seed..."

"So the princess has awakened... You shouldn't act reckless too if you're gonna fight off some soldiers alone. Not just a princess but a warrior princess..." Seed arrogantly smiles at her which she punched to his arm. "Hey!"

"How can I say to my father about my half-uncle's treachery? This is worse than I thought... My father was on Toran Republic for the political summit." Lene said sadly as she lowers her head.

"I didn't know that every kingdoms also had politics, Lene. At my timeline it doesn't have politics all they can do is war battles." Seed said and he stands up. "I think the old fool wants to have war games. But for now, we have to pose ourselves."

"Wait a second, these clothes..." Lene sees some peasant clothes as Seed was able to lend by some villagers living in Sajah.

"I know you were both princess and a rich heiress. They'll never find out that we're on a disguise. Like I said, I grew up as a peasant within this province." Seed said convincing Lene to wear as she retorts at him.

"What about you? You're still wearing royal clothes."

"Since I'm no longer in royalty and I ended up at your place, I'll get changed for the better." Seed said knowing of his outfit and he tells her. "Once we're done dressing up, you can tell me of how we get through your hometown."

"How come you're still standing?"

"You go first, Lene..." Seed annoyingly replies as she begins dressing up her clothes.

Seed begins to take interest in her because of her beauty and for being a strong-willed person and he decided to get changed his royal clothes as well. Afterwards, Seed wears a light teal long sleeved tunic as he folded his long sleeves into cuffs and was tucked by his brown belt from his royal clothes, white pants, a pair of black gloves and dark blue shoes and he looked at her in amusement.

"Wow, Lene... you look so pretty."

"Seed, are you sure that I'm going to wear this?" Lene wears a red sleeveless tunic tied in a blue obi and a blue sleeveless midriff underneath, black capris and brown flats and she wears blue wristbands on her wrist.

"You're completely different if you wear that outfit. It reminds me of how Lord Riou had fought both me and Culgan to our deaths." Seed said as he became impressed on her fighting ability. "I saw you beat the soldiers with your tonfas and it was just like him."

"You mean my double-sided tonfas..." Lene then shows her weapon to Seed.

"Wow... it is different than Lord Riou's and you can shoot them with bullets and explosives. I've never seen they can use some gunpowder and firearms at your place." Seed said getting amused to her weapon. "Anyway... can you tell me where your hometown is?"

"Well... we have to pass through the north border and Silveria was on the west side."

"Okay then... we'll go there and this is the beginning of my redemption." Seed smiled and Lene was happy at his side and their journey begins.