Book 1 Chapter 240
240
Tuk-tuk-
The long, long corridors of the Shan Imperial Palace.
Leo was walking through them.
The escort captain of the Imperial Palace, who had come to meet Leo a little while ago, was in charge of guiding him.
“He’s a Guardian.”
A shadow that secretly operates in the darkness to defend against Tartarus’s invasion.
Of course, if he’s the captain of the Imperial Palace guard, he’s excessively conspicuous.
However, this man’s skill was too great to waste on being the captain of the Imperial Palace guard.
‘He’s as strong as the professors of Lumern.’
Most of the professors of Lumern are powerful individuals with the ability to achieve feats worthy of the Hero Record.
Seeing such a person serving as captain of the Imperial Palace guard without revealing his name, Leo thought it was truly befitting of the Shadow Kingdom.
Thump-!
Amidst this, the escort captain stopped walking.
They had arrived in front of a massive door at the end of the corridor.
The door was as black as pitch.
For a moment, it was so dark that Leo mistook it for a huge hole.
“This is it.”
As soon as the escort captain spoke, the door slid open with a *swish-!*
Beyond the door lay complete darkness.
A darkness that made the living feel uneasy.
As the darkness, unlit even by moonlight, unfolded, Fritz put on a wary expression.
However, Leo stepped forward without the slightest hesitation.
“Leo-nim… no, Senpai.”
Fritz looked flustered.
Jane also looked at Leo with surprised eyes.
The pitch-black darkness before them was so deep that it instilled fear even in the two shadow candidates.
The escort captain watched Leo’s retreating back with gleaming eyes.
Fritz quickly tried to follow Leo.
But the escort captain reached out and stopped Fritz.
“Only Leo Flov can have an audience with His Majesty the Emperor.”
At those words, Leo turned back and said,
“I’ll be back.”
Tuk-tuk-
Leo disappeared into the darkness.
Swish- *CRUNCH!*
The heavy door closed with a loud sound.
In the pitch-black darkness where he couldn’t see, Leo did not hesitate to move his feet.
His keen senses were not consumed by the darkness.
On the contrary, they were sharpened even further.
Humans instinctively fear the dark.
But for Leo, who had lived through an era of disaster, darkness was not a frightening entity.
‘Rather, it’s familiar.’
Tuk-tuk-
In the silent darkness, the sound of footsteps echoed loudly.
*WHOOSH-!*
At that moment, flames ignited beside Leo.
The candles were lit.
In the darkness, Leo’s red eyes shone.
*WHOOSH- WHOOSH- WHOOSH-!*
Starting with that, the candles in the room began to light up one by one.
The darkness receded, and the interior of the room was revealed.
The room was filled with all sorts of luxurious items.
Sumptuous furniture decorated with gold and various jewels.
And all kinds of artworks lined the entire room.
Leo felt a strong sense of disarray.
A chaotic room with no sense of unity.
Even a multitude of weapons were lined up on one side of the wall.
And in the center of that room.
A robust middle-aged man, leaning on one hand with his head supported, lay on his side on a large bed.
He scratched his calf with one foot and waved a fan in his empty hand.
The man, dressed in traditional red Shan attire, stared at Leo with black eyes and said,
“Are you Leo Flov?”
“Are you His Majesty the Emperor of Shan?”
“I am the 74th Emperor of Shan, Shau.”
His black eyes, devoid of emotion, stared intently at Leo.
An overwhelming sense of pressure emanated from his mere presence.
Shau’s existence alone pressed down on the air.
He was not a hero, but he was stronger than any hero except the Sword Saint.
“Would you like to come closer?”
At Shau’s invitation, Leo approached him.
They came to within about 3 meters of each other.
Shau, stroking his beard, which could be called a fine beard, said,
“You have a handsome face, and you’re the student council president of Lumern at such a young age… you must be popular. Aren’t you already making many girls cry?”
To the abrupt question, Leo calmly replied,
“In Lumern, unhealthy relationships between students are forbidden.”
At that, Shau’s eyes widened.
“How can that be! When vigorous young people are in the same space, nothing happens! They must be meeting in secret!”
Leo stared blankly at Shau, who was shouting.
Anyone else would have had a dumbfounded expression.
The Emperor of Shan, also known as the Shadow King, is another epithet for the Shadow Kingdom.
Although he did not make it onto the Hero Record, he was recognized as being on par with the greatest heroes of his time.
The strongest shadow, who, despite being emperor, rarely shows himself publicly.
A mysterious dark hero who exists but cannot be met.
A being represented by cruel, powerful, and terrifying charisma.
That was the Emperor of Shan.
Such a being was asking a boy he had just met about romance.
Although it would have been natural to be flustered, Leo did not bat an eye.
“You really haven’t dated any girls?”
“I just studied hard.”
“A boring honor student. Still, you can be considered to have passed.”
‘Passed what?’
Shau smiled meaningfully and waved his fan.
“I apologize for the difficult questions. The Emperor of Shan has a boring position.”
He said calmly.
“Few guests come. Most people fear me.”
Stroking his chin, Shau curved his lips upwards.
“That’s why it’s a great pleasure for me to have a friend of my daughter visit.”
Shau looked directly at Leo.
“So, are you here to pick up Shiya?”
“Yes.”
“Shiya chose to become a shadow of her own will. Are you going to try to persuade such a Shiya?”
“If that is Chen Shiya’s pure will, it is not my place to interfere.”
Leo looked directly into Shau’s black eyes.
“If she made a choice burdened with many responsibilities, I will take her.”
“Why would you go to such lengths? You and Shiya are just school friends, aren’t you?”
“Chen Shiya will be one of the heroes who will lay the foundation for the destruction of Tartarus.”
“There are countless hero candidates in the world. And even the great heroes of history could not achieve the feat of destroying Tartarus.”
Shau let out a mocking laugh.
“Yet you speak of the destruction of Tartarus with such certainty. Don’t you think that’s arrogance?”
“Not at all.”
Seeing Leo laugh it off as if it were no big deal, Shau narrowed his eyes.
‘Come to think of it, did he say he would completely destroy Erebus?’
It was said that he had spoken of a preposterous goal in front of all his classmates.
‘About a year has passed since then, and how is this boy now? In just a year, he has become the student council president of Lumern and is considered a hero candidate who will carry the next generation, following in the footsteps of the Sword Saint.’
Shau closed his eyes.
‘People say that immature courage is a privilege of youth… but in his case, it doesn’t feel like mere recklessness.’
“Are you going to bring a child born of shadows out into the outside world?”
“Yes. So, will you let me meet Chen Shiya? If she refuses even after I try to persuade her, I will give up cleanly.”
“Then I cannot let you meet Shiya any further.”
Leo’s eyes twitched.
“If I hear your words now, that child will definitely choose the path of a hero.”
Shau sighed and opened his eyes.
“That child has admired heroes since she was young.”
Shau stood up.
“Leo Flov, I have seen many heroes in the darkness. Heroes are, as the name suggests, special beings. They are noble souls who will sacrifice their lives for the world.”
Tuk-
Shau, having gotten off the bed, approached Leo.
Leo looked up at Shau, who was a head and a half taller than him.
Swish-
The tip of his large finger pointed towards Leo.
“I see it now. Among them, you are very special.”
Shau’s black eyes took in Leo.
“The world says you are the hero who will succeed Callian-nim… but that’s not what I see.”
Shau’s eyes narrowed.
“Three thousand years ago, you may become a great hero, equal to or even greater than the founders of the Hero Academy.”
Leo looked up at Shau without a word.
“That is why I cannot let you meet Shiya. To her, who has lived her whole life only in darkness, you are too intense a light. She would be blinded.”
Thump-!
Shau, returning to the bed, sat down and said,
“Heroes are heroes, and shadows are shadows. Do not cross that boundary.”
“Are you saying we live in different worlds?”
“Precisely.”
Shau grinned.
“Chen Shiya is the talent who will fulfill Shan’s long-cherished wish.”
“Becoming famous on the Hero Record as a shadow?”
“You know it. Did Riina tell you?”
“Is that so important?”
“It is important.”
Shau chuckled.
“For our lineage, not being recognized by God is akin to a curse, a stigma.”
In every era, shadows are necessary beings.
And the royal family of the Shan Empire has lived as shadows for thousands of years.
Of course, they didn’t live as shadows to be recognized.
It was a task that someone had to do, so they maintained the legitimacy of their lineage for thousands of years.
Perhaps because they have been ignored by God for so long, they desire it even more.
God’s recognition.
“Isn’t there a way to escape the duty of a shadow?”
“As a descendant of the proud Shadow King, Vihar, I cannot do that.”
“Vihar?”
At the familiar name, Leo paused.
“Yes. A great shadow who was active since the era of disaster… and did not leave his name in history.”
‘That Vihar?’
Leo was surprised as he learned about the origins of the Shan Empire.
“Besides, wouldn’t it be good for your future if Shiya remained a shadow?”
“What do you mean by that?”
“Shiya is the child who will carry Shan in the future.”
Shau looked at Leo slyly.
“And your goal is the same as Shan’s other aspiration and objective. Shiya will follow you as a shadow. The great nation of Shan itself will become yours.”
“What does Chen Shiya following me have to do with the Shan Empire?”
“…Are you an idiot?”
Shau looked at Leo with a displeased expression.
“Didn’t you really know that Shiya has feelings for you?”
“Oh, really?”
Leo exclaimed as if surprised.
Seeing Leo accept it so indifferently, Shau’s face contorted even more.
“Even knowing that fact, why are you so calm? Is my daughter that unattractive!”
“How can I see a child as a romantic partner?”
“Shiya is older than you, you know!”
Seeing Shau’s bewildered expression, Leo shrugged his shoulders.
What was he supposed to do if she was older on the outside?
‘Inside, she’s an old man.’
Leo’s indifferent demeanor made Shau clutch the back of his neck for a moment.
‘What kind of guy is this?’
He couldn’t support his daughter’s dream, as she was destined to carry the hopes of his lineage.
But that didn’t mean he didn’t love his daughter.
She was a daughter he wouldn’t trade for anything.
Yet, this was the reaction!
“Either way, please let me meet Chen Shiya.”
“I refuse.”
Shau said, looking at Leo.
“While you are in Shan, you are an honored guest. I will treat you with utmost hospitality, but you cannot meet Shiya.”
“What if I meet her by force?”
At Leo’s words, Shau curved his lips upwards.
“Try it. Although a person living in the light will never be able to find someone living in the darkness.”