Book 1 Chapter 239
239
"My fault?"
Leo narrowed his brows.
"Don't talk nonsense."
Fritz adjusted his glasses and narrowed his eyes.
His purple eyes stared directly at Jane.
"Walking the path of a hero is a matter of one's own will. So why is it Leo-nim's fault?"
At Fritz's cold words, Jane sharply turned her head.
"There must be a reason why they're saying that."
Leo walked ahead, as if not bothered by Jane's criticism, and said,
"Anyway, what's important now is that we have to bring Chen Xia back to Lumern."
"How?"
Jane asked through gritted teeth.
It seemed she agreed that they had to bring Chen Xia back to Lumern, as she herself thought Chen Xia suited the role of a hero.
At Jane's words, Leo crossed his arms.
"First, we'll have to meet Chen Xia."
"It won't be easy."
Jane drooped her shoulders.
"The imperial family of Shan cannot engage in external activities. They must live strictly behind the shadows of the imperial palace."
"That's right. But still, Chen Xia is a student of Lumern."
Leo calmly moved towards the Warp Gate and said,
"If we can't meet her, we'll have to negotiate with the Emperor of Shan."
At that, Jane trembled slightly.
"With His Majesty the Emperor?"
"Yes."
Leo patted his chest and said,
"I also have a letter from the Principal."
Leo smiled faintly.
"They probably won't be able to ignore it, will they?"
Leo stepped into the Warp Gate.
Fritz followed behind him.
Hesitating for a moment, Jane eventually had no choice but to step into the Warp Gate with them.
The magicians stationed at the Warp Gate made slightly strange expressions.
A Warp Gate at this late hour for a mission?
Of course, it wasn't unheard of.
However, considering Leo was a second-year, and Fritz and Jane looked like freshmen accompanying him, they couldn't help but find it strange.
'Student Council President on a mission already.'
The gate administrators showed curious expressions but did not reveal their thoughts and opened the Warp Gate.
Whoosh-!
With a bright light, the three figures disappeared.
***
Leo and his party arrived via the Warp Gate in the outskirts of Xing, the capital of Shan.
Seeing the Warp Gate, Leo paused.
The unique architectural style of the Shan Empire caught his eye.
Looking at the exotic architecture, Leo mumbled,
"It certainly feels like we've come to a different culture."
At his mumble, Jane, who had exited the Warp Gate first, neatly adjusted her uniform and said,
"Welcome. This is Xing, the capital of Shan."
Though slightly aloof, Jane displayed a very polite demeanor.
She was much like Fritz, who was next to Leo.
Seeing Jane, Leo made a puzzled expression.
"Your attitude is completely different from a moment ago."
"From now on, I, as a Shadow Candidate of Shan, not a student of Lumern, will guide Hero Candidate Leo Flobe-nim."
"Hmph."
Fritz narrowed his eyes.
"For someone who was so impudent just a moment ago, you speak well."
"Are you picking a fight?"
Jane looked at Fritz with sharp eyes.
Seeing Jane, Fritz smiled coldly.
"It is I who serves Leo-nim."
Leo glanced at Fritz.
Fritz, who was taller than Leo, bowed his head to Leo with an elegant gesture.
"Leo-nim. I will serve you during the mission without any inconvenience."
Seeing Jane, whose attitude had changed like flipping a switch the moment they arrived in Shan, and Fritz, who seemed to be competing with her, Leo looked up at the sky and sighed.
'I understand why the Principal put these two with me.'
Just as there are various types of heroes, there are also various types of shadows.
They can be broadly divided into three types.
Reapers, hunters who track down and execute Hero Killers and traitors.
Guardians, who protect specific regions to defend against the invasion of Tartarus.
And Shadows, who serve and escort heroes by their side.
A characteristic of Shadows is that they can readily sacrifice their lives for a hero.
Reapers and Guardians are often scouted from among hero candidates, but Shadows are mostly trained as Shadows from birth.
And Fritz and Jane were precisely Shadows.
Especially in Lumern.
Fritz, the shadow of the Jeron family, and Jane, the shadow of the Shan Empire, held a subtle rivalry.
'Both of them are top-tier in terms of skill among first-years. They must be the top two among the Shadow Candidates who enrolled this year.'
When it comes to Shadows, the Shan Empire is the most famous.
However, Lumern's shadows, who possess the Hero Records and nurture hero candidates, are no less capable than Shan's.
Whether it's skill.
Or background.
They couldn't help but compete with each other.
'The problem is, these guys are trying to compete as shadows.'
Rina accepted the first-years because she wanted to offer them the path of a hero.
But these two actually have no interest in being heroes.
They don't care whether they're a hero or a shadow.
But Leo was displeased by the sight of people who prioritized the lives of others over their own.
"Let me tell you. Your status right now is not Shadow Candidate, but Hero Candidate."
At those words, Fritz and Jane looked at Leo.
"And our relationship is that of a senior and junior at school."
"But Leo-nim. I have lived since childhood to become a hero's shadow…"
"Do you think I need the escort of squirts like you?"
"……!"
"……!"
At Leo's nonchalant words, Fritz and Jane's eyes widened.
"Hmph! Alright. If you insist on saying that, I'll treat you as a senior."
Jane responded with an aloof expression.
Fritz placed a hand on his chest, closed his eyes, and trembled his shoulders.
Seeing him, Jane scoffed.
"Why? Is your pride hurt from being ignored…"
"Leo-nim! No, I have fully understood Senior-nim's profound intentions!"
"Huh?"
Seeing Fritz with an expression of deep emotion, Jane let out a dumb sound, and Leo wore an expression that said, 'What's he doing now…'.
"You mean that I am lacking as a shadow and should strive harder, don't you? Understood! I will strive until the day I am recognized as a shadow by Senior-nim!"
"Don't you feel insulted hearing something like that?!"
Jane yelled, dumbfounded, but Fritz wore a puzzled expression.
"Why should my pride be hurt?"
Seeing Fritz, who had shed his cool-headed image and reacted unconditionally positively to his words, Leo looked bewildered.
'No, when did this guy even see me that he follows me like this?'
He looked at Fritz with a dumbfounded expression.
And shaking his head, he exited the Warp Gate.
"Which way do we go to get to the Shan Imperial Palace?"
"We can't go today."
"Why?"
"Xing is divided into four major districts."
Jane explained.
Xing was one of the oldest cities in the world.
As such, the city's scale was enormous.
"District 1, where the Imperial Palace is located, cannot be entered after sunset. This is a law that applies regardless of status."
The place where the Warp Gate was located was District 3.
"Is that so?"
"Yes. Today, we'll stay at an inn near the Warp Gate. Tomorrow morning, we have to go to the Imperial Palace early."
At Jane's words, Leo nodded.
"Show me the way."
"Yes."
Jane led the way to a nearby inn.
Leo and Fritz followed behind her.
Leo gazed at the exotic streets of Xing.
The majority of people had exotic appearances, dressed in clothes with voluminous sleeves.
Outsiders visiting for trade were also seen, but not in large numbers.
Most people walking the streets looked at Leo's group, dressed in Lumern uniforms, with curiosity.
It was as the three of them walked through the crowd.
Thwack-!
Suddenly, three people appeared in front of Jane.
At that, Jane trembled her shoulders and lowered her stance.
Rustle-rustle-!
Seven more men appeared around Leo.
Seeing that, Fritz raised his right hand and squeezed it.
Crack-
An eerie sound came from his finger joints.
Thump-thump-
The one who seemed to be the leader among those blocking their way stepped forward.
And he bowed respectfully towards Leo.
"Leo Flobe-nim. I am the captain of the Imperial Guard of the Shan Imperial Palace. I have come to escort Leo Flobe-nim by His Majesty the Emperor's command."
At the question, Jane showed a surprised expression.
Fritz did not lower his guard as Leo asked,
"I was under the impression that the school hadn't mentioned us going to Shan?"
At Leo's question, the man at the front bowed even lower and said,
"Leo-nim. Shan is a nation of shadows. Shadows exist everywhere."
At those blatant words, Leo narrowed his eyes.
'So they also know the purpose of my visit here.'
Leo chuckled and said,
"Then I don't have to wait until tomorrow."
***
Splash-!
Blood splattered.
Thump-thump-
A man in pure white clothes was wielding a long sword.
"Still the same. The shadows of Shan."
The man with black hair and black eyes smiled faintly as he walked, avoiding the corpses strewn at his feet.
Despite piling up a mountain of corpses, not a single drop of blood stained the man's clothes.
"They're uselessly persistent."
Shaking his head, the man lightly flicked his wrist.
Swish-! Slash-!
"Gurgle?"
A sword aura extended from the tip of the sword, beheading the shadow that had been holding its breath and waiting for an opportunity.
"Do you think such methods would work? They're all things I've learned, after all."
The man with a bitter smile stopped in his tracks.
Squish-
Standing on the muddy ground full of blood puddles, the man took something out of his pocket.
Taking out a black crystal orb, the man infused it with mana.
Whoosh-!
A dark space opened in the air.
With it, a giant black eye gleamed.
[Is that Sian?]
"It's been a long time, Giant King."
Sian politely greeted the black eye.
[Yes, what is it?]
"I heard an interesting remark from the Lich King. I contacted you to confirm."
Sian stroked his chin.
"There's an old sword that the Emperors of Shan have inherited for generations."
Sian's eyes sparkled.
"I heard that sword is an artifact related to the Hero of the Beginning."
[What an unpleasant name to hear after such a long time.]
"A long time? Just a few months ago, the Monster Queen was subjugated by the Hero of the Beginning and the Progenitor of the Constellations, who descended to the present world, wasn't she?"
[All the rude individuals who came to deliver that news died before they could mention that name.]
Seeing the Giant King express strong displeasure, Sian nodded.
"I see."
[If it's that old sword, it is indeed an artifact related to the Hero of the Beginning. Why do you ask? Didn't you cut ties with Shan?]
"I did cut ties. And I have no intention of returning."
Sian smiled nonchalantly.
"But an artifact related to the Hero of the Beginning? That's a tempting item, isn't it?"
[A tempting item… So. Do you now wish to inherit the power of the Hero of the Beginning?]
"Yes. That's why I'm using you all."
[You're mad.]
Disgust arose in the Giant King's enormous eyes.
[No matter how foolish the gods may be, you will never be able to get your name on the Hero Record.]
"What does that matter? All I need is to become a great hero myself."
Sian laughed.
"I will subjugate all of you and become a hero recognized by history, so you don't need to worry about that."
Seeing Sian display blatant hostility, the Giant King cut off the communication as if he found him repulsive.
The Giant King, despite his immense size and utterly brutal power, has a personality that is more serious and cautious than anyone else's.
To such a Giant King, Sian, who claimed to betray the world and use Tartarus to become a hero, was nothing more than a mad dog whose actions were unpredictable.
But Sian didn't care.
"It's been a long time since I've seen my father."