King Meron Griffon

**Meron Griffon** is the current King of the Griffon Kingdom, Queen Sylpha's spouse, Tyris Griffon's descendant, and Commander-in-Chief of the Griffon Kingdom Armed Forces. He is a fake Awakened by Tyris. Unlike their predecessors, Meron and Sylpha are making an active attempt to fix the collapsing nobility and academy system, especially during the past decade with the threat of Balkor.

## Appearance

Meron is a lean man in his mid fifties, though he doesn't look a day past thirty. He has thick red hair and silver eyes typical of Valeron's descendants. He wears a golden crown and a red uniform as the Commander-in-Chief of the army.

## Background

As a youth, Meron Griffon took the test only to please his parents and the first thing he asked Tyris was to spare his life. He told her that he didn't feel worthy of the Crown, that the thought of thousands of people dying just because he made the wrong decision gave him nightmares. Meron believed that the role of King would be better suited for a stronger, more resolute person than him, leading Tyris to spare his life and make him King.

Meron became King at 19, with Sylpha already pregnant with their firstborn.

### Civil War

When Lith is sent to Kandria to diagnose a cure for the plague, Captain Kilian Aluria is forced to contact King Meron after Colonel Varegrave oversteps his bounds and assaults Lith for suspected treachery, blinded by his feelings for his blood brother Captain Velagros. Varegrave bets his life against Lith's abilities with Meron, which he loses when Lith successfully diagnoses the plague. To Meron's dismay, Queen Sylpha sentences Varegrave to execution after a cure is found.

The Royals declare a state of national emergency and order Lith to work with light magic specialists to find a cure. After Lith successfully develops a cure for the mana parasites, Meron and Sylpha grant Lith 2000 gold coins but unsuccessfully attempt to give him a noble title to bind him to the Kingdom. After the death of Garith Senti, Kilian reveals his high evaluation of Lith to the Royals, recommending they keep him at a safe distance due to his potentially dangerous ability at manipulation. Lith requests leniency for Varegrave, which Meron gladly accepts and Sylpha reluctantly agrees to. The Royals suspect Lith of being a natural Awakened one, and speculate about Tyris' judgment.

Prior to Ilyum Balkor's attack on the academies, Meron seeks Tyris's audience, asking her to intervene and save the students. Tyris rebuffs him, claiming that all the transpiring events are a result of the kingdom's rotten noble caste system, and that Balkor is merely another victim taking his revenge.

When Lith goes to Linjos with his discovery of the anti-mana toxins poisoning the academies' students and staff, Headmaster Linjos contacts Meron and organizes an examination on everyone in the White Griffon. Lith lies about his new vision, claiming that the Royals are also killed in order to gain their involvement instead of waiting for things to play out. Meron agrees, wanting to maintain Lith as an asset to the Crown and preserve his and Sylpha's safety.

After Nalear's insurrection, the Royals use the evidence Nalear had released to finally quell the civil war and arrest the ancient noble households responsible. Meron grants Lith the Verhen family name at the Royal Graduation ceremony and attends the ceremonial graduation tourney with Sylpha as spectators. When the parents of the 4th and 5th rankers suggest a match between their children and the Ernas, the Royals have the 4th and 5th rankers fight Lith instead, making publicly derisive remarks about their performances, showing their support for the Ernas and referring to Lith as as proper household.

### Pre-War of the Griffons

Following the destruction of the Lost City of Kaduria, Meron and his cousin General Morn Griffon personally receive Lith's debriefing along with Tyris in her Constable disguise. Lith gives his doctored version of the events, and reveals his cracked life force as the reason he is researching Forbidden Magic in the lost cities. He presents Treius' severed head and the copies of the failsafe spells as proof. After they verify the evidence with General Vorgh and convene, King Meron attempts again to reward Lith with a higher rank or a noble title, and also proposes marriage arrangements for him, but Lith declines. He fakes concern for Tista after his absence and asks Meron to take care of her. Meron gives him his approval to continue searching for a cure, and promotes him to Great Mage.

Meron and Sylpha attend Jirni's birthday gala. They compliment the camellia and berate Kallion Nuragor for insulting it. The Royals call Kallion to prove his worth when the latter insults Lith's display of chore magic during the ball dance, and express their disdain when he fails, humiliating him. At the end of the dance, Meron promotes Jirni to Royal Archon and gives Lith the official title of Spellbreaker along with the annuities of a Barony. In the aftermath of Kulah, the Royals assign to Phloria's unit only high-profile missions in the hopes she would achieve something so great to make Kulah's incident pale in comparison, but Phloria isn't lucky enough.

After Lith's 18th birthday gala, the Royals convene to discuss Lith's upcoming resignation from the army. Marchioness Mirim Distar and Berion argue that Lith is a valuable ally while Kwart and Morn devalue him. Sylpha rebukes Morn while Meron reminds them to look at the bigger picture at Lith's potential, as well as reaffirming the Royals' support for the Ernas. The Royals decide to promote Lith to Archmage in a gesture of good will and to ensure his continued loyalty to the Kingdom.

Lith reports to Meron after his last visit to Huryole, explaining the academy's workings. Meron orders Lith to be quarantined in the Royal Capital due to the light that the Golden Griffon's Headmaster Sevenus Hystar had attempted to enslave Lith with. After several days in quarantine, the Royals hold a ceremony where they promote Lith and release details of all his accomplishments.

Following the Feymar crystal mine incident, the Royals question Lith and those involved. Lith credits the beasts with most of the credit, while he and Tista demonstrate Light Mastery to their delight. Meron attempts to ask Lith to share his Raging Nova spell, but he declines. They issue a Royal Restrict Order to Archmages Deirus, Kwart, and Onia after suspicion of their involvement of the attack. After learning of the beasts' Warp Gate network, they resolve to follow the Empire's lead in building a better relationship with the Emperor Beasts in their territory instead of treating them like wildcards.

### Balkor Copycat

Captain Locrias notifies the Royals and Marchioness Mirim Distar when Lith unveils the DoLorean during its first run. Sylpha and Meron marvel at the invention, considering commercializing or weaponizing it. However, at Mirim's suggestion they decide to outlaw its production, though she calls dibs on the first commission for her daughter Brinja. The Royals agree to take the next commission.

The Royals, Mirim, and Constable Tyris accompany Jirni and Orion as they conduct the test drive of the DoLorean. They simulate infiltration and smuggling activities before arriving past the Kingdom's borders into the Gorgon Empire, where Empress Milea Genys and a disguised Leegaain greet them. Sylpha classifies the DoLorean as Tier 1 Forbidden Magic, prohibiting its production. Mirim congratulates Lith on the achievement and Sylpha orders a commission for Mirim and the Royals. Meron accepts Lith's request to make one for Count Lark, though denies another for Kamila Yehval unless Lith marries her, in order to tie him down to the Kingdom.

During a War Council meeting amidst the Three Horsemen's attack on the Kingdom's major cities, Kamila plays her Tuner to relieve tensions, inadvertently causing those present to mistake it as a betrothal gift. Sylpha chides Meron for not being as "romantic." News of Manohar's defeat against Dawn at Belius interrupts the interlude. Following Lith's evolution to Tiamat following his breakthrough to the violet core at Lightkeep, he contacts Orion regarding Thrud, her development of the Ambrosia, and her regaining of Valeron's bloodline. Orion relays the call to the Royals.

At the start of the Royal Gala, the Royals address the destruction of Kogaluga and praise Lith for the creation of the DoLorean. Lith also showcases the potential of maglev trains for the future. He informs the audience of the threats of the undead, the Three Horsemen, and the return of Thrud, but gives a rousing speech to inspire the people.

Meron summons Lith, Jirni, Kwart, and Onia for a private questioning of Lith's solo mission history. They reference his impossible feats and accuse him of being a double agent for the beasts. To resolve the issue, Meron arranges a magical duel using chore magic between Lith and Kwart to dispel any rumors or suspicions. Kwart is utterly overwhelmed due to Lith being able to body cast and thus confirming to the Royals Lith being an Awakened. Meron has Lith reveal his violet mana glare as a display of his magical talent.

At the award ceremony Meron rewards General Vorgh, Manohar, and Lith for their services and contributions. He grants Lith the title Protector of Lustria County and gifts him a block of Adamant. Tista declines a feudal lordship but asks for the records of how Nana became a fallen mage. Sylpha acquiesces and also gifts Tista a block of Adamant to Meron's irritation. Sylpha officially declares the end of Phloria's trial and offers her the rank of Lieutenant Colonel in the army, but Phloria declines. Meron grants her the rank regardless and also promotes her to Great Mage.

Quylla is killed by an assassin sent by Deirus at the end of the gala. At the funeral, Deirus stages a show to mock the grievers. After the events at the funeral, the Royals give Jirni authorization to kill Deirus. With his political power lost as a result of Lith's duel, the Royals are finally able to get rid of him without the risk of escalating the conflict into a civil war. They ask Jirni to leave enough traces so the investigation shifts the blame on the undead, but Deirus' own confession that Jirni records exposing his involvement with the Undead Courts mitigates the need.

The Crown learns of the disappearance of the city of Huryole. Due to recent events, the Royals decide to withdraw the Queen's Corps escort for Lith's family unless he becomes more involved in Kingdom affairs, and assigns him a mission to retake several cities in the Nestrar Region from its ex-Ranger Alman Quaron who has instigated a rebellion. Lith accepts and is reinstated as a Major of the army.

Lith issues a challenge to the city of Zeska for single combat against Quaron. He secretly infiltrates the city and learns a mysterious "god". After learning of this, the Royals instruct Lith to maintain the facade of the challenge, though warns him that he will be punished if his gamble doesn't succeed. Meron is alarmed upon learning that the rebels have access to the City Lord's Royal Seal.

Quaron answers Lith's challenge but is overpowered and defeated. However, Quaron's master Syrook the Black Dragon intervenes. Lith informs the Royals before summoning his "ally" Tiamat for help. The Royal Court is thrown into an uproar at the appearance of and subsequent task of dealing with a Divine Beast. Tyris agrees to reinstate Lutia's security detail if Lith manages to kill Syrook, as well as grant Lith the Dragon's corpse.

## Quotes

* *"I'll take that bet."* (Meron to Varegrave, Chapter 136)
* *"Leniency, if bestowed at the right moment, is not weakness, it's strength."* (Meron to Sylpha, Chapter 163)
* *"We are alone. Our goddess has forsaken us."* (Chapter 208)
* *"If the Verhens really are a new magical bloodline, the Kingdom can't afford to lose all of them because of petty short-term thinking. As for the Ernas, I'm tired of hearing people belittling them. They are both living heroes and pillars of the Kingdom. If I had to judge the Court based on the Ernas' standards of merit, I'd have to say that I'm surrounded only by incompetent idiots, present company included."* (Meron to Morn, Chapter 928)
* *"Stand tall, Archmage Verhen. This is the last time I will force you to bend the knee. Unless you become a Magus, of course."* (Meron to Lith, Chapter 966)
* *"Actions have consequences and even though I'm no tyrant, I'm the King. Bend my laws and I'll bend you in more ways than you can conceive."* (Meron to Onia, Chapter 1468)
* *"This is not a bard's tale. In the real world, a ruler that bets the future of his country on something as barbaric as a fight is a delusional idiot."* (Meron to Lith, Chapter 1649)

## References

1. ↑ Chapter 513: Bearer of Gifts (Part 1)
2. ↑ Chapter 1067: The Burden of Power (Part 1)
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Chapter 163: Domestic Affairs
4. ↑ Chapter 407: Puzzled (Part 1)
5. ↑ Chapter 1068: The Burden of Power (Part 2)
6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Chapter 1329: Domination (Part 1)
7. ↑ Chapter 136: Suspicions
8. ↑ Chapter 138: Plague (2)
9. ↑ Chapter 156: Consequences
10. ↑ Chapter 158: A New Power
11. ↑ Chapter 208: What Goes Around Comes Around
12. ↑ Chapter 239: Bad News
13. ↑ Chapter 302: Rising Tide (Part2)
14. ↑ Chapter 325: Test Subject (Part 1)
15. ↑ Chapter 410:
16. ↑ Chapter 521: Unexpected Gift (Part 1)
17. ↑ Chapter 523: Failure (Part 1)
18. ↑ Chapter 525: Leaving (Part 1)
19. ↑ Chapter 981: Cold War (Part 1)
20. ↑ Chapter 928: Ruin and War (Part 2)
21. ↑ 21.0 21.1 Chapter 965: The Arisen (Part 1)
22. ↑ Chapter 961: The Enemy Within (Part 1)
23. ↑ Chapter 1087: Darkness versus Chaos (Part 1)
24. ↑ Chapter 1278: Test Drive (Part 2)
25. ↑ Chapter 1396: Downfall of the Conceited (Part 2)
26. ↑ Chapter 1421: Kamila and Solus (Part 1)
27. ↑ Chapter 1459: Royal Gala (Part 3)
28. ↑ Chapter 1469: Award Ceremony (Part 1)
29. ↑ Chapter 1471: Dance Partners (Part 1)
30. ↑ Chapter 1487: Means and Ends (Part 1)
31. ↑ Chapter 1634: Royal Demands (Part 2)
32. ↑ Chapter 1649: Credit and Responsibility (Part 1)
33. ↑ Chapter 1656: Divine Beasts (Part 2)