Book 1 Chapter 294

294

Late at night.

Returning home, Leo shook his head as he saw his party members, all of whom had turned the house into a mess.

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

Leo asked Kyle, who was relatively normal.

Of course, Kyle was also different from usual.

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

"Ar heard only theory lessons from Arion-nim all day today."

Kyle pointed to Ar, who was hunched over next to him, muttering and holding his head as if his brain was cramping.

"So… breathing should be done at this timing… and the sound… Aaaaargh!"

Scratch-! Kyle averted his gaze from Ar, who was scratching his head and whose eyes were spinning, and this time pointed to Eiran and Berkia.

"Over there…"

"Hey, fight me."

"Again, again? I'm too tired to move now, you know? And Berkia-nim always defeats me."

"Quiet. Come out. And fight me."

Berkia was demanding a duel from Eiran with an expressionless face.

Berkia tried to drag Eiran out of the house by force.

Leo grabbed Berkia and pulled her away from Eiran.

Eiran hastily hid behind Leo.

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

"I'm going to prove that I'm much stronger."

"B-Berkia-nim is much stronger! You've defeated me countless times today!"

"I don't accept it!"

Berkia shouted.

Leo nodded at her words.

"I see. It's because your capacity as a magic swordsman is terrible compared to Eiran's."

Berkia flinched and looked at Leo.

As a knight.

As a mage.

If their individual capacities were considered, Berkia was superior to Eiran.

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

Although she hadn't mastered star magic and couldn't fully learn Arion's Aura skills due to her different race, her capabilities were bound to be superior to Eiran's.

'Because she's a direct disciple of Luna and Arion, who can be called the pinnacles of magic and martial arts.'

Crucially, Berkia was born with the blessing of the fairies.

Eiran only possessed fragments of fairy power.

Since Berkia could use fairy magic itself, the difference in their capacities was bound to be significant.

However, as a magic swordsman who fused the abilities of both classes, Eiran was overwhelmingly superior.

Eiran's techniques were those that the current Berkia would master far in the future.

In a sense, it was not an exaggeration to say that Eiran was the future Berkia.

"It seems you've neglected your magic swordsman training."

"N-No! I worked hard!"

'This is a lie at every turn.'

Leo narrowed his eyes, watching Berkia flare up.

"Anyway! You! You said you were sixteen! I heard everything!"

Berkia approached Leo and put her hands on her hips.

"What kind of language is that to an older sister! From now on, you'll speak politely and respectfully to me like the other kids… Aaaaargh?!"

Leo gave Berkia a knuckle rub on her temples with both fists.

Berkia, with a tear-stained face, clung to Eiran for comfort.

"You're really merciless even to historical figures, aren't you?"

Leo chuckled as Kyle whispered in a small voice.

Then he pointed to Daliana, who was sitting with her knees together in a corner, looking distraught.

"Why is she like that?"

"Dweno-nim told her to drop art and just make weapons."

"…"

"It was really scary."

When he approached Daliana, she was saying strange nonsense like, 'I am trash. I apologize to Art-nim.'

'It seems she showed him some strange artwork.'

Leo sighed as if he didn't even need to see it to know.

"What about Lunia?"

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

"Why?"

"She swallowed Dweno-nim's Essence of Flame."

Leo's eyes widened.

"She swallowed the Essence of Flame?"

"Yes."

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 itself.

What Lunia had was a part of that flame.

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

Unless a clear successor had been chosen.

Considering the current times, sharing the Essence of Flame would be a tremendous blow even to Dweno.

"What are you looking at?"

"Me? The Alchemy Grimoire Dweno-nim gave me."

'He's never even shown it to Luna before?'

'Aren't you that rotten-hearted elf who would make strange concoctions after seeing my alchemy grimoire?'

'How petty!'

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

'I'm not looking for something like that!'

Luna shouted, her face flushed.

'What about a love potion?'

'Nothing.'

As soon as Kyle appeared, Luna quickly left.

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

'How would I know? Luna is the most foolish elf I have ever seen.'

'That's true.'

'And you are the biggest idiot human I have ever seen.'

Remembering Dweno's merciless words, Leo asked,

"Are there any love potions in there?"

"There are, actually."

Leo, who had let out a hollow laugh, became lost in thought.

'Dweno, what are you thinking?'

He had unhesitatingly shared the Essence of Flame with a stranger and handed over an alchemy grimoire he had never even shown to his comrades.

'Why, exactly?'

He felt bewildered.

Clang-! Clang-!

Late at night.

Dweno's forge was burning.

Arion looked at Dweno with a curious expression.

"That's strange."

"What is?"

"You usually draw or sculpt at night."

Clang-! Clang-!

"But seeing you forge weapons is quite surprising."

"I am an artist, but I also moonlight as a blacksmith."

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

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

"Why?"

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

Dweno asked in a gentle voice.

"Do you wish to join their ranks?"

"No."

Dweno started hammering again.

Clang-! Clang-!

Dweno stopped hammering and plunged the glowing red blade into water.

Hiss-!

A fierce hiss of steam echoed along with the sound of boiling water.

"Hmm, it's like new."

Dweno said, nodding as he looked at Erquint's blade.

"Arion."

"Yes."

"Are you still afraid of the future?"

"I am afraid."

Arion's eyes darkened.

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

"I am."

Dweno smiled faintly.

"Nevertheless, do not lose courage."

Dweno said, putting metal ore into the furnace.

"For your courage is our hope."

* * *

Thump-! Thump-!

The earth shook.

Those on the surface, terrified, bowed down to the terrifying giant, larger than mountains.

"G-Great Giant King. Why have you come to such a humble place in person?"

Gias looked at the humans bowing before him with eyes that seemed to view them as insects.

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

Gias still disliked them, even now.

'The Lich King treats them as convenient pawns. But those who betray once will betray again.'

Of course, even if they betrayed again, it wouldn't harm Tartarus.

But even so, Gias abhorred such people.

"You know that I will soon attack Gadstron, don't you?"

"Yes!"

"I need troops. I'll have to use you scoundrels a little."

"U-Us? Giant King, you have a mighty army, how could mere we help the Giant King!"

The man said in a terrified voice.

Certainly, if the Giant King's army was present, they would be of no help in attacking Gadstron.

But the reason they said this was simple.

'They don't want to die, do they? How shallow.'

From their perspective, attacking Gadstron was tantamount to suicide.

Gadstron, the world's last fortress.

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

They were people who had betrayed the world for their lives.

They clearly wouldn't want to even go near Gadstron.

"Of course, you scoundrels won't be of any help."

Rumble-

The Giant King raised his hand.

Then a subspace opened, and weapons poured out of it.

"But, if there are weapons forged by me, the Giant King, directly! You scoundrels will be of a little help."

Thud-thud-thud-!

Divine weapons poured out before the traitors.

"Grasp them."

The Giant King's eyes flashed.

"And attack Gadstron."

Immediately with the Giant King's words, the traitors eagerly began to grasp the weapons.

Joy appeared on their faces.

At that time, Gias's weapons were called the strongest weapons on the surface.

The Giant King's face contorted as he watched the traitors cheer.

Those weapons were not the Giant King's creations.

They were merely copies of the Divine Blacksmith, Dweno's weapons.

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

A murderous aura flashed across Gias's face.

* * *

"How about taking a good rest today?"

It was the ninth day since coming to the Hero's World.

Leo went to Dweno and said calmly.

Dweno, puffing on his pipe, replied,

"You haven't shown your face once, then suddenly you come and suggest a good rest? Hmm, certainly, your friends must be worried."

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

"…?"

"I'm saying let the whole city rest."

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

"Let me ask you directly. You people. What exactly are you?"

"I cannot answer."

"You don't seem surprised."

Dweno puffed on his pipe.

"It's as if you know what I've figured out."

Dweno closed his eyes.

Then he exhaled a puff of smoke and said,

"What's coming?"

"The Giant King, Gias."

"Indeed."

Dweno's eyes darkened.

Ugh- Dweno got up.

"I'll tell Defeser. Tell those who protect the city to rest well for today."

"…Thank you."

"Just one more question."

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 turned his back on the brightly smiling Dweno and clenched his teeth.

'He must have expected from the beginning that we might have come from the future.'

Dweno was wise and quick-witted.

He must have noticed by observing the party acting slightly contrary to common sense.

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

But he couldn't bring himself to tell Dweno that he was Kyle.

'How could I say it?'

To a comrade moving forward, dreaming of the future.

That you will be defeated and killed by Erebus.

That you will never see the world's salvation.

How could he say such words?

Leo thought it was enough to convey that their efforts had not been in vain.

* * *

That evening.

The party members were resting at Kyle's house.

What was different from usual was that Dweno and Arion had come to visit.

Kyle and Daliana were listening to Dweno talk about alchemy and blacksmithing techniques.

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

"I-I see."

Berkia wore a triumphant expression as she watched Eiran, who was taking notes and marveling.

"That's all good, Eiran."

"Yes."

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

"I-I haven't done that, have I?"

"Your eyes treat me like a grandmother, you know?"

Berkia frowned.

Ar wanted to hear about Arion's exploits.

"Arion-nim swept them all away!"

"No, Kyle did…"

"Arion-nim gave courage to Kyle-nim!"

"No… Kyle gave me courage."

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

Leo muttered as he watched them.

'What a strange scene.'

The present and the past, who should never meet, were happily conversing.

Of course, for those in the present, those from the past would be nothing more than a fleeting illusion.

But for Leo, both were reality.

'If I can use this experience as a stepping stone to move towards the future, there's nothing better than that.'

Thinking that, Leo looked to his side.

"Why are you so down?"

Lunia, unlike herself, had her ears and shoulders drooping.

At Leo's question, Lunia said,

"Kyle, Daliana, Eiran… even Ar. They've all made definite progress in the past few days."

Lunia clenched her teeth.

"But I've gained nothing."

"Dweno's Essence of Flame."

"…Cataliu-nim told me to give up. He said I have no talent."

"It's best not to listen deeply to that rude bird's words. If you listen, you'll become infinitely timid, won't you?"

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

"I… I think I was too conceited. As a representative of Seirun, I was a little successful… I was so elated that I could learn Luna-nim's magic from you that I wasn't thinking."

Lunia wore a gloomy expression.

"Can I really inherit Luna-nim's magic?"

"So it's best not to listen to that bird's words…"

Leo, who was sighing and comforting Lunia, hardened his face as he suddenly saw Dweno and Arion's atmosphere change.

'Could it be?'

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

[Divine Blacksmith] and [Hero] must survive.]

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

"W-What's wrong?"

Berkia had a bewildered expression.

Leo's face twisted.

"He's here."

Groooooooowl!

A terrifying roar, piercing through the entire city, echoed.