Book 1 Chapter 241

241

After finishing his audience with the Emperor, Leo immediately left the audience chamber.

Fritz and Jane, who had been waiting in front of the Emperor's room, approached Leo as he opened the door and came out.

"How did it go?"

"He said he couldn't let me meet him."

"See? I told you."

Jane shook her head as if she had expected it.

Fritz made a puzzled expression.

"That's strange. He can't even let you meet him."

"Do you think meeting the Shadow of Shan is that easy?"

"Hey, kid."

"K-kid?"

Jane was flustered by Leo's words.

"Did you just call me a kid?"

"Then should I call him a kid?"

Leo tilted his head, pointing at Fritz, who was taller than himself.

Seeing Leo like that, Jane flared up.

"I'm older than you, you know?!"

Jane, who was 17 this year, might be Leo's junior, but she was definitely older.

However, Leo, with memories of his past life, didn't care about such things.

"I have something to ask. Where can I rest?"

"Are you not even listening?!"

"Lead the way."

"…"

Seeing Leo completely disregard her words, Jane's shoulders slumped.

'Somehow, if I argue with this person, I just end up looking like a fool.'

"I'll guide you."

Jane guided Leo.

Since arriving in Shan, Jane had been Leo's guide.

Following behind Jane, Fritz muttered.

"Kid, huh…"

Fritz muttered softly, then let out a 'Hmph!' and laughed.

"Huh? What's the meaning of that laugh? Are you picking a fight?"

Flustered, Jane didn't hold back against Fritz.

***

After a brief commotion, Jane guided Leo to an annex next to the imperial palace.

Despite the late hour, a hundred people were lined up on either side of the annex.

"Welcome to the Shan Empire. We will do our best to ensure your stay, Lord Leo, is comfortable."

A middle-aged man, who appeared to be the head butler, bowed respectfully to Leo.

'A Shadow, it seems.'

It wasn't just the head butler.

Several of the hundred servants and maids lined up on either side also seemed like Shadows.

Fritz also narrowed his eyes, as if he knew, but didn't say anything.

In the midst of this, Leo was guided to the largest room inside the annex.

"Please call us anytime if you need anything."

Leaving his respectful words, the head butler exited the room.

Leo sat in the large, luxurious chair in the room.

"What do you want to ask me?"

Jane asked, standing before Leo.

Looking at Jane, Leo spoke.

"Can you tell me about Chen Xia as you know her?"

"Excuse me?"

"I'm curious about what kind of life Chen Xia lived, the one I don't know. And how she came to Lumerne. And why she decided to quit being a hero candidate."

Shaou said that Chen Xia had admired heroes since she was young.

And if she met Leo now, her heart would waver, and she would abandon the path of a Shadow and walk the path of a hero.

Conversely, Jane said that the reason Chen Xia quit being a hero candidate was because of Leo.

"I have served Lady Xia by her side for 10 years."

Shadow candidates train from a young age to become Shadows.

Jane, an orphan, was taken in by Shan's Shadows, recognized for her qualities as a Shadow, and became a Shadow candidate.

"Outstanding Shadow candidates can be placed under imperial family members. I was one of them too."

She said that Shadow candidates who would lead Shan's future gathered under Chen Xia.

"Lady Xia cherished the Shadow candidates who followed her."

The training for Shadow candidates is not just harsh, but cruel.

They live in darkness, existing to eliminate people, even if they are traitors.

Sometimes, that harshness eradicated their humanity.

In that process, some devolved into mere killing machines who only followed orders.

'No, they probably raise them that way on purpose.'

Leo's eyes narrowed.

"Everyone followed Lady Xia. So we hoped Lady Xia would become a hero."

Jane squeezed her eyes shut.

"Because she was someone more suited to be a hero than a Shadow. And Lady Xia went to Lumerne last year."

"Given the Emperor's personality, I wouldn't think he would easily allow it?"

"Yes. His Majesty the Emperor put one condition on Lady Xia."

"A condition?"

"If she couldn't become the class representative, she had to cleanly give up the path of a hero."

It meant that if she couldn't become the best among the hero candidates, she had to give up the path of a hero.

"So, you're saying Senior Chen Xia quit being a hero candidate because of Senior Leo?"

Fritz, who had been listening to the story, frowned.

"That's just blaming others."

"I know! I know that too!"

Flustered, Jane glared fiercely at Fritz.

But soon, her shoulders slumped.

"Is that the only reason she gave up on becoming a hero?"

"Lady Xia said it the day she returned. She said she saw people truly suited to be heroes… that those kinds of people should become heroes."

Jane bowed her head deeply.

"She said that she, who had dabbled in darkness, could no longer be a hero… That's what she said."

Hearing those words, Leo sighed deeply.

"Do you happen to know a name called Vihar?"

"No, who is that?"

"Never mind if you don't know."

Leo shook his head and sank deeply into the backrest.

"Why do people spout such damned nonsense so similarly?"

"Excuse me?"

"It's nothing, just talking to myself."

Leo closed his eyes.

***

Wheeeeeoooooo-

On the high walls of Guardsron, a woman looked down at the city.

A large-scale battle had taken place recently.

People were celebrating the heroes who had achieved victory in the Tarmetia Battle and returned.

The great Grand Heroes led by Risinas, and countless warriors who followed them.

After winning the Tarmetia Battle, they were able to reclaim many lost territories.

"To the achievements of the great Grand Heroes! Cheers!"

"Cheers!"

"To the valiant efforts of the heroes who saved the world! Cheers!"

"Cheers!"

"Waaaah!"

The residents of Guardsron cheered with joy.

Hope filled the eyes of the people who had lived in despair and lamentation for decades.

The bleak, ash-gray sky remained unchanged.

But in the dazzling exploits of the Grand Heroes, people thought.

Someday, that ash-gray sky would disappear, and they would find the blue sky they had lost.

The long, long time of despair would end, and peace would surely be restored.

People could see hope.

Sounds of excited chatter and boisterous laughter could be heard.

Humans, elves, beastfolk, dwarves, everyone without distinction, created a festival.

The beastfolk played instruments, and the humans sang along.

The elves danced to the music, and the dwarves built stages.

Dragons told children tales of the heroes' great deeds.

Everyone, with one heart, blessed the great victory.

Everyone smiled brightly in the radiant light.

Only the woman stood alone on the castle wall, shrouded in darkness, apart from the light.

Watching the festival from afar, the woman smiled.

"Still being melodramatic, I see."

At the voice from behind, Vihar gasped-! and stumbled.

Losing her balance, she flailed her arms and fell from the wall.

"L-Lord Kyle."

Vihar barely grabbed the railing of the wall and pulled herself up.

"I almost fell!"

"You think you'd die falling from this height?"

Kyle, with a look of disdain, plopped down on the wall.

Vihar knelt before Kyle.

Kyle, with his arms crossed, looked at the festival scene visible in the distance and said.

"How long are you going to avoid showing yourself to people?"

"Perhaps I'll never have a reason to show myself?"

"You too are a hero who saved many people."

"While others fought Tartarus, I stained my hands with people's blood. Even if they were traitors, I don't want to show myself to people for the 'achievement' of cutting them down."

Vihar looked down at her hands.

"Moreover, among those I eliminated with my own hands, there are some whom people still consider heroes. There would be many who couldn't accept my existence."

Traitors were certainly beings to be eliminated.

But if people knew that there were traitors among the heroes who gave them hope…

Those who had just begun to embrace hope would surely fall into despair.

Now was a time when people needed someone to believe in and rely on.

That's why not a few of the traitors eliminated by Kyle and Vihar's hands were remembered as noble heroes.

"I, who have dabbled in darkness, cannot be a hero."

"Then what am I?"

"Lord Kyle is different. Lord Kyle is someone who can shine even in darkness."

"What kind of nonsense is that now?"

Vihar just smiled, looking at Kyle who wore an absurd expression.

"Don't worry too much. In a world where Erebus has been vanquished and Tartarus has disappeared… someday, I will make it known. The fact that a person like me existed."

"Ah, found you! You were here!"

A drunken voice was heard.

Luna, who had run over, put Kyle in a headlock.

"You! Ran away from drinking, didn't you?! That means you've admitted defeat in our drinking contest, right?"

"Don't cling to me and talk. Your breath stinks."

"Where do you mean my breath stinks?!"

"You threw up, so of course your breath stinks."

Luna tightened her arm around Kyle's neck and shook him violently.

In response, Kyle pinched Luna's cheek and shook it vigorously.

Luna bit Kyle's hand, and Leo pulled her other cheek.

"Dweno. Kyle and Luna are fighting again!"

"Let them be. Is this their first or second day fighting, those fools?"

"Vihar. Were you here alone again?"

Arion and Dweno appeared, and Risinas offered a wry smile, worrying about Vihar.

The elf girl who had accompanied them, Berkia, had her shoulders slumped.

"Why is Berkia so down again?"

"She said she lost the sword Luna gave her in battle."

"Ah… Erquaint."

Vihar, who had let out a brief exclamation, approached Berkia and stroked her head.

"Don't worry, I'll find it for you."

"…Really?"

Seeing her with wide eyes, Vihar smiled.

"Of course."

"Hey. Don't spoil her. She'll get bad habits."

"Be!"

Berkia stuck out her tongue at Kyle.

"This insolent little brat…"

The previously quiet castle wall was now filled with commotion.

This was another hideout for the Grand Heroes.

Dweno opened the barrel of alcohol he brought and drank cheerfully with Kyle and Luna.

Arion played the flute, and Risinas hummed a song.

Vihar, Berkia, and the other Grand Heroes' apprentices beamed with joy.

"…"

Leo opened his eyes.

'In the end, Vihar never made her name known to the world.'

She had no intention of becoming a hero.

So he had no intention of blaming her for choosing to remain in the shadows her entire life.

Because it was the path she chose according to her convictions.

But Chen Xia?

She wants to be a hero.

"But she says she can't be a hero because she dabbled in darkness? How arrogant."

At Leo's words, Fritz and Jane flinched.

Suddenly, Leo was glaring with frightening eyes at the Shan Imperial Palace, which was shrouded in darkness outside the window.

Leo stood up and approached the window.

"Where are you going?"

Jane asked urgently.

Looking at Jane, Leo said.

"I'm going to Chen Xia."

"What? Do you even know where she is?"

"I'll find her if I search."

Chen Xia, who nested in the darkness of Shan's Imperial Palace, couldn't be found even by Jane, a Shadow candidate.

No, even excellent Shadows would find her hard to locate.

But he says he'll find her?

"What are you going to do when you find her?"

Seeing Jane's confusion, Leo smiled.

"What else? I'll have to forcibly drag her out of the darkness."