Book 1 Chapter 294

Late at night.

Leo, who returned home, shook his head as he saw the party members in disarray inside the house.

"I can guess what happened… but I'll still ask. What happened?"

Leo asked Kal, who was relatively intact.

Of course, Kal was also different from usual.

He was studying, holding a book like an honor student.

"Ar has been listening to Master Aron's theory lessons all day today."

Kal pointed to Ar, who was muttering while holding his head, as if his brain was throbbing, lying next to him.

"So… the breath should be at this timing… and the sound… Aaaahhh!"

Scratch- Scratch- Kal, who had shifted his gaze from Ar, who was scratching his head and his eyes were spinning, pointed to Eiran and Berkia this time.

"Those two over there…"

"Hey, spar with me."

"Again, again? I'm too tired to move. Besides, Master Berchia is stronger than me."

"Shut up. Get out. And spar with me."

Berkia, with a blank expression, was demanding a spar with Eiran.

Berkia was forcibly dragging Eiran out of the house.

Leo grabbed Berchia, stopping him from falling on Eiran.

Eiran hurriedly hid behind Leo.

"Why are you trying to fight someone who doesn't want to?"

"I will prove that I am much stronger."

"M-Master Berchia is much stronger! You've defeated me so many times today!"

"I don't accept it!"

Berkia shouted.

At his words, Leo nodded.

"I see. So it's because your capabilities as a Sword Master are pathetic compared to Eiran."

Berkia flinched and looked at Leo.

As a Knight.

As a Mage.

In terms of their individual capabilities, Berchia was superior to Eiran.

Berkia was raised by Luna and Aron, who poured all their efforts into her.

Although she couldn't learn the magic of the stars and couldn't fully learn Aron's aura skills due to her race, her capabilities were bound to be superior to Eiran's.

'She's a direct disciple of Luna and Aron, who can be said to be the pinnacle of magic and martial arts.'

Crucially, Berchia was born with the blessing of a fairy.

Eiran only possessed fragments of fairy power.

Berkia could use fairy magic itself, so the difference in capabilities was bound to be large.

However, as a Sword Master who fused the abilities of both classes, Eiran had overwhelming superiority.

Eiran's techniques were those that the current Berchia would complete in the distant future.

In a sense, Eiran was none other than the future Berchia.

"It seems you've neglected your Sword Master training."

"N-no! I've been working hard!"

'This guy lies all the time.'

Seeing Berchia get defensive, Leo narrowed his eyes.

"By the way! You! You're sixteen, right! I heard everything!"

Berkia approached Leo and put her hands on her hips.

"What's with that language towards an older sister! From now on, speak respectfully and formally to me, like the others… Aaaaaaaah?!"

Leo delivered a knuckle sandwich to both of Berchia's temples.

Berkia, with a tearful face, clung to Eiran for comfort.

"You're really ruthless, even to historical figures?"

Kal whispered in a small voice, and Leo chuckled.

Then he pointed to Dryana, who was sitting with her knees gathered on one side, looking dazed.

"Why is she like that?"

"Master Dweno told her to quit art and make weapons."

"……."

"He was really scary."

When Leo approached Dryana, she was spouting nonsense like, "I am garbage. I apologize to Master Art."

'Looks like she showed him something strange as a work of art.'

Leo sighed, as if he already knew.

"Where is Lunia?"

"She's resting in her room. Actually, she suffered the most."

"Why?"

"She swallowed Master Dweno's essence of flame."

Leo's eyes widened.

"She swallowed the essence of flame?"

"Yes."

The essence of flame.

Leo also possessed Dweno's essence of flame.

Of course, it was different from Lunia's.

What Leo had was Dweno's flame, the flame itself.

What Lunia had was a part of that flame.

'Sharing the flame also means weakening one's own flame.'

If a clear successor had been decided, maybe.

Considering the current era, sharing the essence of flame would be a huge blow to Dweno.

"What are you looking at?"

"Me? Dweno's Alchemy book."

'She's never even shown it to Luna.'

'Are you an elf whose personality is ruined, who would make strange potions even after reading my alchemy book?'

'You're stingy!'

'I've never made love potions, so win love with your own strength.'

'I'm not looking for that!'

Lunia shouted, her face completely red.

'What about the love potion?'

'It's nothing.'

As soon as Kyle appeared, Lunia quickly left.

'What kind of trouble is she going to cause now?'

'How would I know? Lunia is the most foolish elf I've ever seen.'

'That's right.'

'And you are the greatest idiot among the humans I've seen.'

Recalling Dweno's merciless words, Leo asked,

"Is there anything like a love potion in there?"

"There was."

Leo, who let out a hollow laugh, fell into thought.

'Dweno, what on earth are you thinking?'

He readily shared the essence of flame with someone he met for the first time and gave an alchemy book to a companion he had never shown it to.

'Why on earth?'

He felt bewildered.

Clang-! Clang-!

Late at night.

Dweno's furnace was burning.

Aron watched Dweno with a curious expression.

"That's strange."

"What is?"

"You usually paint or sculpt at night."

Clang-! Clang-!

"So it's surprising to see you hammering weapons."

"This body is an artist, but I also work as a blacksmith as a side job."

"No… Isn't blacksmithing your main job?"

"Aron. Do you know why I call that fool Kyle and that idiot Luna fools?"

"Why?"

"Because they dare to treat me as a blacksmith."

Dweno asked in a benevolent voice.

"Do you want to join that group too?"

"No."

Dweno started hammering again.

Clang-! Clang-!

Dweno stopped hammering and plunged the red-hot blade into the water.

Sizzle-!

Steam erupted with the sound of boiling water.

"Hmm, good as new."

Dweno nodded, looking at Erquinte's blade, and said.

"Aron."

"Yes."

"Are you still afraid of the future?"

"I'm afraid."

Aron's eyes grew calm.

"You're afraid too, aren't you?"

"I am afraid."

Dweno smiled faintly.

"Still, don't lose your courage."

Dweno said as he put metal ore into the furnace.

"Your courage is our hope."

* * *

Thump- Thump-!

The earth trembled.

Those on the ground, filled with fear, bowed to the colossal and awe-inspiring giant that was larger than a mountain.

"Your, your Great Giant King. Why have you graced us with your presence in such a humble place?"

Gias looked at the humans who bowed before him as if they were insects.

These were traitors who had betrayed the world and sided with Tartarus.

Even now, Gias did not like them.

'The Necromancer King treats them as useful pawns. But those who have betrayed once will betray again.'

Of course, even if they betrayed again, it wouldn't pose a threat to Tartarus.

But even so, Gias despised such people.

"You know that I will attack Gardsron soon, right?"

"Yes!"

"I need troops. I will use you lot."

"U-us? You have a powerful army, Your Great King, how can mere us possibly help you?"

The man said in a terrified voice.

Indeed, with the Giant King's army, they would be of little help in attacking Gardsron.

However, the reason they said this was simple.

'They don't want to die, how shallow.'

From their perspective, attacking Gardsron was tantamount to suicide.

Gardsron, the final fortress of the world.

Attacking the iron-clad fortress that had never fallen was like death.

They were the ones who betrayed the world for their lives.

It was clear they wouldn't want to go anywhere near Gardsron.

"Of course, you lot will be of no help."

Rumble- Rumble-

The Giant King raised his hand.

Then, a spatial rift opened, and weapons poured out from it.

"But, if I, the Giant King, have weapons forged by my own hands! You lot might be of some small help."

Pitter-patter-!

Machines of war poured out in front of the traitors.

"Take them."

The Giant King's eyes gleamed.

"And attack Gardsron."

As soon as the Giant King spoke, the traitors hurriedly began to grasp the weapons.

Joy appeared on their faces.

At this time, Gias's weapons were called the strongest weapons on earth.

The Giant King, seeing the traitors cheering, contorted his face.

Those weapons were not the Giant King's creations.

They were merely imitations of the weapons made by the divine blacksmith, Dweno.

'Wait, Dweno. With weapons identical to the ones you made… I will bring you down!'

Malice gleamed on Gias's face.

* * *

"How about taking a good rest for a day?"

It was the ninth day since they arrived in the hero's world.

Leo visited Dweno and said calmly.

Dweno, who was puffing on his pipe, said,

"You, who haven't shown your face even once, suddenly come and tell me to rest? Hmm, I'm sure your friends would be worried."

"I'm not just talking about my friends."

"……?"

"I want the entire city to rest."

At those words, Dweno, who had been staring intently at Leo, said,

"I'll ask directly. You guys. What exactly are you?"

"I cannot answer."

"You're not surprised."

Dweno puffed on his pipe.

"It's as if you know I've realized something."

Dweno closed his eyes.

Then, after exhaling smoke, he said,

"What is coming?"

"The Giant King, Gias."

"Indeed."

Dweno's eyes grew calm.

With a grunt, Dweno got up.

"Tell Depeser. I'll let those who protect the city know that they should take a good rest for today."

"……Thank you."

"I'll ask one more thing."

Dweno smiled faintly.

"Is the future filled with beauty?"

"…Not as much as you might think. But it's beautiful enough."

"That's a very rewarding answer."

Leo, turning his back to the brightly smiling Dweno, gritted his teeth.

'He must have guessed from the beginning that I might have come from the future.'

Dweno is wise and perceptive.

He must have noticed the party acting in ways that slightly defied common sense.

That's why he revealed he came from the future.

However, Leo couldn't bring himself to tell Dweno that he was Kyle.

'How can I tell him?'

To a comrade who moves forward dreaming of the future.

That you will be defeated by Erebus and die.

That you will never see the salvation of the world.

How could he say such a thing?

Leo thought that simply conveying that their efforts would not be in vain was enough.

* * *

That evening.

The party members were resting at Kyle's house.

The only difference from usual was that Dweno and Aron had visited.

Kal and Dryana were listening to Dweno talk about alchemy and blacksmithing skills.

Berkia was holding Eiran and listening about how to handle fairy power.

"I-I see."

Seeing Eiran marveling and even taking notes, Berchia looked proud.

"Everything is good, Eiran."

"Yes."

"Why do you keep treating me like a grandmother?"

"I-I haven't done that."

"Your eyes treat me like a grandmother."

Berkia scowled.

Ar wanted to hear about Aron's exploits.

"Master Aron swept them all away!"

"No, Kyle did…"

"Master Aron gave Kyle courage!"

"No… Kyle gave me courage."

Of course, Ar was excessively praising Aron with an Aron-centric ideology.

Watching this, Leo muttered.

'It's a strange sight.'

The present and the past, who could never meet, are having a pleasant conversation.

Of course, to the people of the present, the people of the past would be no more than a fleeting illusion.

But to Leo, both were reality.

'If I can use this experience as a stepping stone to move forward into the future, that would be great.'

Thinking so, Leo looked to his side.

"Why are you so dejected?"

Lunia, unlike her usual self, had her ears and shoulders drooping.

In response to Leo's question, Lunia said,

"Kal, Dryana, Eiran… even Ar. They've clearly moved forward in the past few days."

Lunia gritted her teeth.

"But I'm the only one who hasn't gained anything."

"Dweno's essence of flame."

"…Master Katariu told me to give up. He said I have no talent."

"You shouldn't take the words of that rude bird too seriously. You'll become endlessly discouraged if you listen."

Despite Leo's words, Lunia's shoulders drooped.

"I… I think I'm getting arrogant. As the representative of Seirun, I thought I was doing a bit well… and I got carried away by the fact that I could learn Luna's magic, so I wasn't thinking."

Lunia had a gloomy expression.

"Can I really inherit Luna's magic?"

"That's why you shouldn't listen to that bird…"

Leo, sighing and comforting Lunia, suddenly stiffened as he saw Dweno and Aron's atmosphere change drastically.

'No way?'

[Mission Objective: Prevent the Giant King's invasion.

Keep [Divine Blacksmith] and [Hero] alive.]

Seeing the suddenly updated mission objective, the party members also sprang to their feet.

"Wh-what's wrong?"

Berkia had a bewildered expression.

Leo contorted his face.

"They're here."

Rooooooaar!

A chilling roar that pierced the entire city echoed.