Book 1 Chapter 275

The top floor of the Central Castle, offering a panoramic view of Demian Academy.

Not only the front view of Demian but also the vast landscape of the Drakin Mountains spread out before their eyes.

"This scenery always leaves me feeling overwhelmed."

Gazing at the landscape that felt like it could clear one's mind, Zephia, the principal of Azonia, crossed her arms and curled the corners of her lips upwards.

Seeing Zephia, Gerwin, the principal of Demian, smiled faintly.

"To us Dwarves, the Drakin Mountains are a source of pride. It's the land where Lord Dweno was born and raised, no matter what anyone says."

Drakin Mountains.

Since ancient times, this place, rich in various ores, was a sanctuary for Dwarves.

And Dweno was also from the Drakin Mountains.

At Gerwin's words, Zephia wore an expression of regret.

"It's a shame. There are no records of exactly where Lord Arion is from."

"The only great heroes whose hometowns are accurately recorded are the King of Wisdom and the God's Blacksmith," Liena, the principal of Lumern, said calmly.

It was as she said.

Lisinas was from Dragonia.

Before the Age of Calamity. During the Age of Gods, it was called by a different name, but Dragonia had long been known as the sanctuary of dragons.

All dragons were born in Dragonia, and Lisinas was no exception.

As for Luna, the progenitor of the nebula, opinions were divided.

There were several expected candidates, but no place was clearly known as the one.

"I don't think you called us here to talk about such things, do you?"

At that moment, a scoffing sound was heard from one place.

Lehagen, the acting principal of Seirun, sat with his arms crossed.

"Lord Gerwin. Please tell us why you've convened this principals' meeting."

"My, my, you're still as impatient as ever."

Gerwin stroked his beard and clicked his tongue.

Lehagen, a racist and arrogant individual, was forced to yield to Gerwin.

Liena of Lumern, Zephia of Azonia, and Lehagen of Seirun.

The principals and acting principal were all active in the current generation.

But Gerwin was different.

He was a hero of the previous generation.

A Dwarf hero who was active in the same era as the Sword Saint.

In addition to his achievements as a hero, the weapons he forged had written countless legends in the hands of heroes.

He was the greatest blacksmith of the current era.

That was Gerwin.

Even Lehagen, who used weapons forged by Gerwin, could not dare to treat him disrespectfully.

Not just Lehagen.

Zephia and even Liena, the shadow, wore weapons born from Gerwin's hands.

'Well, it's not solely for that reason.'

Liena slightly bowed her head to Gerwin, who offered her a seat, and sat down.

'Now he's benevolent, but in his student days, he used to go around challenging students from other hero academies to test the weapons he made?'

This led to numerous anecdotes.

To the current students, he was simply a benevolent legend, but to Liena's generation, he was known as a eccentric and stubborn Dwarf.

In fact, there were heroes who were punched and thrown out when they went to request weapons from him.

'Given that elf's personality, she might have been beaten up by Lord Gerwin.'

Shaking her head inwardly, Liena sat down.

"The reason I called you all here is that we've received a letter from Dragonia."

At Gerwin's words, the principals' faces showed surprise.

A letter from Dragonia.

That meant only one thing.

"You don't mean… the Silent Dragon has moved?"

The Silent Dragon, Dragon Lord Melina.

A long time ago.

A dragon who attempted to conquer the world during the Great Opening, a long-standing wish of the world.

A powerful dragon comparable to the three great commanders of Tartarus: the Commander King, the Giant King, and the Monster Queen.

However, after failing to conquer the world during the Great Opening, she had never shown herself to the world again.

Even when the Sword Saint was subjugating the King of Curses, one of the commanders, she did not move.

That's why the world called Melina the Silent Dragon.

At Lehagen's words, Gerwin nodded.

"That's right."

At that answer, the principals of the hero academies wore tense expressions.

The principals of the hero academies were also powerful figures who could influence their respective races.

The fact that they were tense indicated that Dragon Lord Melina's movement was not a trivial matter.

'As expected, now that the Monster Queen has been subjugated, the Dragon Lord must move.'

'Despite her silence until now, her influence as the Dragon Lord is absolute.'

'Why summon the principals instead of the vice-principals? What is she planning?'

While Melina had indeed been silent, she was revered as a great sage among dragons.

With a single word from her, the movements of the hero academies could change.

"A new Hero Record has been discovered in the Shan Empire. Regarding this, the Shan Empire has secretly requested cooperation from each hero academy through Dragonia."

At Gerwin's words, Lehagen's expression seemed to deflate.

"Just that?"

"Just that? If the Dragon Lord herself mentioned it, it must be something unusual, right?"

Liena looked at Lehagen with a cold voice.

Seeing Liena, Lehagen curled the corners of his lips upwards.

"The excavation of Hero Records happens all the time, so there's nothing special about it. Besides, if the Shan Empire secretly requested cooperation through Dragonia instead of official channels, isn't it obvious? They've encountered a hero dungeon that they can't clear."

Lehagen narrowed his eyes.

"It's unlikely that the shadows, who merely clean up after heroes, can properly conquer the hero world."

"An elf who would have lost her life several times if it weren't for those shadows cleaning up after her is speaking quite eloquently."

"Isn't it natural for shadows to protect heroes?"

Seeing him openly disregarding shadows, Liena muttered to herself.

'I see why the elf shadows say that! The hero I regret saving the most!'

She felt like she wanted to ram into him.

However, this was an official meeting.

Liena had anticipated that someone who openly disregarded shadows would do so.

And it wasn't exclusively an elf trait to treat shadows in such a manner.

There were those of every race who treated shadows this way.

'Ah, if I were to act on my temper, I'd beat him half to death!'

It was at that moment that a grinding sound was heard from Liena's mouth.

"Refrain from your disrespectful remarks towards shadows, Lehagen. They are the ones who sacrifice themselves in the darkness to save the world. Shadows are equals to heroes."

"But they are not recognized by the gods. For shadows to be considered equal to heroes is difficult to accept."

It was when Lehagen openly scoffed.

"That might have been the case in the past."

Gerwin smiled faintly.

"The Hero Record discovered in the Shan Empire is a completely new Hero Record, different from the existing ones."

"Yes?"

"It is said to be the Shadow's Book, a complete form with the names of shadows recorded."

"That's impossible! Hero Records have existed for 5000 years! In all that time, not once has a shadow's name been recorded in a Hero Record!"

Lehagen jumped up from his seat and shouted.

Seeing Lehagen, Gerwin smiled faintly.

"Even if you deny it, it's the truth. A Hero Record exclusively for shadows exists, and it has been confirmed that the hero world will also open. This is a joyous occasion."

Despite Gerwin's words, the other three principals still wore expressions of disbelief.

Even Liena, a shadow, could not easily accept the situation.

It was that unbelievable.

"So, what request did the Shan Empire make?"

"They requested the records of shadows, which are recorded in the background of history. They wish to record their records in the new Hero Record."

"If they don't have the gods' recognition, it's impossible to record them in a Hero Record."

"That is also a question for me."

Gerwin narrowed his eyes.

"Perhaps they've found a way to be recognized by the gods."

"The gods have completely disappeared from the surface since the Age of Calamity. That is impossible," Zephia shook her head.

"Indeed. However, since Shan only made the request without explanation, we have no way of knowing. They must have their own methods. And one more thing."

Gerwin rested his chin on his hand.

"They have requested that hero candidates and shadow candidates also study together at the hero academies…"

"This is unthinkable! Hero candidates and shadow candidates studying in the same space!"

Lehagen, as if having a seizure, jumped up from his seat.

His face was contorted.

Discrimination against shadows.

It existed in every race, but elves were the most prone to it.

It was inevitable.

The admission requirements for Seirun.

It was to master star magic.

However, even among those praised as a race of magic, there were those who were innately untalented in magic.

Those who couldn't use such magic have taken on the role of shadows.

For a long time, elven society has discriminated against such individuals.

Since pure swordsmen and summoners became shadows, for many years, only heroes who could use magic were recorded in the elven Hero Records.

In such a situation, a Hero Record for shadows was suddenly discovered.

Furthermore, the Shan Empire requested that shadows be allowed to study alongside hero candidates.

For Lehagen, a racist, this was an act that could not be tolerated.

Seeing Lehagen, Zephia said, "While I don't agree with the acting principal of Seirun, it's difficult for Azonia to accept that request immediately. The fields of activity for heroes and shadows are too different. Attempting it immediately might cause great confusion."

Having said that, Zephia glanced at Liena.

"Isn't that why Lumern intended to let some shadow candidates study as hero candidates this year?"

This year, several shadow candidates were admitted to Lumern.

However, they were studying not as shadow candidates but as hero candidates.

"That's right. I merely gave the shadow candidates a choice; I didn't think of having them study together."

Liena admitted shadow candidates to give them the choice of whether to live in the light or in the darkness.

"I also believe it's important to change perceptions over time rather than rushing into drastic changes. The admission of shadow candidates is a request from Shan, not Dragonia's position."

At those words, Lehagen, who had reacted almost with a fit, sat down.

Even Seirun could not carelessly disregard the words of Dragonia.

But if it was a request from the Shan Empire.

'We can just ignore something like that.'

Lehagen wore a cold expression.

"Is the reason you convened the principals to share information about the newly discovered Hero Record and to discuss future directions?"

"That's right. But before that, one more thing."

Gerwin took out a wooden box from his pocket.

"This morning, another letter arrived from Dragonia."

"Not once, but twice?"

Zephia's eyes widened.

"Indeed. And… this time, it appears to be a personal letter from the Dragon Lord."

Gerwin's expression became serious as he recalled the letter his vice-principal had delivered that morning.

At the mention of a personal letter from the Dragon Lord, the principals' faces became tense once more.

A personal letter? What important matter could be written in it?

"I will open it."

*Click*

When the wooden box was opened, a single envelope lay inside.

And on the envelope, neat handwriting was written.

[To Lord Gerwin, from the Dragon Lord, Melina.]

The principals, who had been through many battles, looked at the envelope with tense eyes upon seeing the personal handwriting of the strongest dragon on earth.

Gerwin also took a deep breath, opened the envelope, and took out the contents to read.

As he confirmed the contents, Gerwin's face changed strangely.

Seeing Gerwin, the others expected that something unusual was written.

Gerwin rubbed his eyes a few times and reread the letter.

After a moment, Gerwin handed the letter to the other principals.

Zephia, who received the letter first with a tense expression, had a similar expression to Gerwin's.

Lehagen, who read the letter after Zephia, had an expression of disbelief.

Liena, who received the letter last, was speechless after reading the contents.

[To my dear Lord Gerwin. The legacy of Lord Dweno, which is currently kept at Demian, will be managed by Dragonia from now on. Dragon Lord, Melina.]

'No, setting aside the content, what is this bear doing?'

Looking at the cute bear drawn at the corner of the envelope, Liena's face changed oddly.