Book 1 Chapter 371
Elsie’s question brought a momentary look of bewilderment to Lariel’s face.
“What? The era you had to live in? What are you talking about?”
She couldn’t understand what the spirit before her was saying.
Elsie flew up to Lariel’s face, her expression a little petulant.
“You say you’ve given up on this world, yet you haven’t passed it on to future generations and haven’t vanished. Isn’t that because you still have some lingering feelings, no matter what?”
Elsie grumbled in a discontented voice.
“As if you’ve seen all the darkness in the world.”
Elsie pouted, her expression one of dissatisfaction.
It was unlike the usual Elsie.
But Elsie, in her own way, found the great spirit before her frustrating.
Possessing a brilliance brighter than anyone, yet pursuing darkness.
She could shine even brighter. It seemed as though she was killing her own light.
Embracing darkness was not the role of a spirit of light.
To illuminate the lamp of hope and guide people.
That was the role of a spirit of light.
“I don’t know what you’ve seen,”
Lariel scowled.
“You can’t understand my darkness.”
“Then first, show me the darkness you’ve seen.”
“You think you can understand my darkness?”
“Of course.”
Elsie smiled brightly.
‘A spirit of darkness, yet so bright!’
Lariel extended her hand to Elsie.
A small cluster of light sparkled on Lariel’s palm.
“If your mind collapses, I’m not responsible.”
This was the darkness that even a great spirit had suffered from.
Spirits, being mental beings, suffer critical damage if their minds crack.
At Lariel’s words, Elsie smiled and reached out to the cluster of light.
Fwaaak-!
Bright light burst forth.
It was only for a moment.
But for Elsie, it felt like a very long time.
Elsie opened her eyes.
Her obsidian-like eyes, devoid of even starlight, reflected Lariel’s face.
Elsie smiled bitterly.
As Lariel wore a look of surprise at Elsie’s expression.
“You must have had a hard time.”
Reaching out, Elsie gently patted Lariel’s head with her small palm.
Lariel’s face contorted as she watched Elsie comfort her, as if she understood everything.
“What on earth are you?”
Was the darkness she held so easily understood because it was so trivial?
“What are you, to understand me so easily!”
“Hmm.”
Elsie cupped her cheeks in a troubled manner, lost in thought.
“It’s not that I’m competing, but perhaps it’s because I’ve had more profound experiences than you.”
Elsie smiled bitterly and extended her hand.
Darkness flickered.
“Want to see?”
Lariel gazed at Elsie’s darkness and reached out.
Darkness enveloped Lariel’s body.
A moment later, Lariel stumbled backward, her face pale.
“You… what are you?”
The era Lariel had seen was filled with only despair.
“How did you survive the era of catastrophe?”
“I am a former great spirit.”
Elsie introduced herself.
“I am Elsie, the great spirit of darkness, the shadow spirit, born in the era of catastrophe and vanished in the era of catastrophe.”
As Elsie formally introduced herself again, Lariel’s eyes wavered.
“How can a great spirit who vanished 5,000 years ago be in this era?”
“I borrowed the power of the Hero Record.”
Lariel couldn’t deny Elsie’s words.
The landscape she saw in her memories was undeniably the era of catastrophe.
As a sworn ally of Rodia, she had tackled the Hero Records of the great heroes alongside them, so she remembered the scenery of that era clearly.
However, experiencing a part of that era through the Hero Record was completely different from the despair of someone who had to live through it directly.
Lariel’s hands trembled.
Seeing Elsie’s memories, she understood her feelings.
“How… how can you smile like that?”
Lariel, her voice trembling, managed to speak and looked at Elsie.
“How can you move towards the light?”
Despite having lived in such a despairing era, Elsie had not let go of the thread of hope.
“Well.”
Elsie tilted her head.
“Perhaps it’s because… light is that beautiful.”
Elsie’s bright smile captivated Lariel’s eyes.
Watching her, Leo smiled wryly.
Leo knew another Elsie.
If the current Elsie was the Elsie before she became twisted.
The Elsie Leo originally knew was a spirit who held the most skepticism towards the world.
‘And yet, she sacrificed herself for the world.’
Elsie willingly gave her life for the starlight she had never seen.
Born as the darkest being in the darkest era, Elsie was that kind of spirit.
“So, don’t give up on this world.”
Elsie smiled brightly as she stroked Lariel’s cheek.
“Don’t give up on your sworn ally. If you don’t give up, you’ll surely be able to save everyone. Just as this world, which had lost its light, has regained its light once more.”
Lariel’s face contorted as if she were about to cry.
For Lariel, trapped in deep darkness, those words were like salvation.
***
Lariel had transformed into a small form, the size of Elsie’s palm.
“So.”
Lariel looked at Leo.
“Leo Flob, what exactly are you?”
A candidate for hero who has a spirit from the era of catastrophe as their sworn ally.
At Lariel’s question, Elsie said.
“In front of Leo, you must absolutely not say things like ‘I had a hard time’ or anything.”
“What?”
“If you’re not careful, you’ll get lectured, like ‘Have you fought Erebus?’ or ‘Have you seen the world end?’ You heard it earlier, right? About calling us the ‘current generation’?”
“What do you think of me?”
Leo sighed softly and glanced at Lariel.
“I am the reincarnation of the Hero of Beginnings.”
“The, the Hero of Beginnings?”
Lariel’s eyes widened at Leo’s unimaginable identity.
“Why? You don’t believe me?”
“W-well, considering Lady Elsie’s identity… it’s not impossible.”
Lariel’s tone towards Elsie had now become respectful.
It couldn’t be helped.
Elsie was a great spirit who had been with the great heroes in the era of catastrophe.
To Lariel, she was in a position like a senior.
‘Leo Flob is an all-class. Moreover, he has consistently shown unusual progress.’
5,000 years have passed since the Hero Records existed and the era of heroes began.
Even after the existence of the hero world was revealed, there were no individuals with abilities like Kyle’s.
In the first place, even the heroes of the Great Opening did not inherit Kyle’s power.
Lariel hesitated as she looked at Leo and cautiously asked.
“If… if you are truly the Hero of Beginnings.”
Lariel, glancing around, mustered her courage and asked.
“Did you really not know that the King of Wisdom had feelings for you?”
“……”
Leo stared at Lariel with a blank expression.
Under Leo’s gaze, Lariel showed a look of being pricked.
“Did I really not know? I simply chose to ignore it because I had to embark on the journey to save the world.”
Elsie looked at Leo with an incredulous expression, and Lariel let out a sigh of relief.
“That’s right, isn’t it! Rodia said that! They said Lord Lisinas was too pitiful, and even taught him unnecessary etiquette of the dragon race, and if he didn’t notice that, he’d be a real idiot.”
Leo simply smiled.
‘These damn brats.’
Seyrun called him an idiot, Rodia called him an idiot.
Leo thought that he should punish them before lecturing them.
“Then I will ask. Spirit of Radiance.”
Leo approached Lariel and said.
“Will you form a contract with me?”
Lariel looked up at Leo.
For generations, the great spirits of light had taken those who would lead the world as their sworn allies.
During the era of catastrophe.
The one who would lead the world to salvation was the King of Wisdom, Lisinas.
And during the recurrence of catastrophe, the role was taken over by Rodia, the Dragon of Creation.
“If… if Lord Kyle were to confront the primordial evil once more… he would have to risk everything again. Do you think this world is worth that much?”
“Worth.”
Leo burst into laughter.
“Elsie asked me something like that a long time ago.”
Elsie smiled bitterly at the words spoken by another version of herself that she didn’t know.
“I thought about that too. And I know very well that the world we tried to save… the world we saved is not all beautiful.”
‘We will save the world.’
He recalled the words of a friend who had left him too soon.
‘Why should we save it? Is this world worth it?’
He also remembered his own words, spoken rebelliously in response.
“But this world is also a beautiful place where flowers bloom and children smile brightly.”
Leo looked down at the city landscape visible outside.
The sun was setting.
‘It’s not something to be judged by whether it has worth or not.’
“It’s not something to be judged by whether it has worth or not.”
As Leo turned, the red sunset poured behind him.
‘It’s the world that my precious people cherished and loved, and the world they will live in. That alone is enough reason to stake my everything.’
“It’s the world that my precious people cherished and loved, and the world they will live in. That alone is enough reason to stake everything, someone taught me.”
“Is that reason truly enough?”
“It’s something that the most foolish yet wisest person in the world taught me, so it’s certain.”
Seeing Leo answer without hesitation, Lariel bowed her head respectfully.
“Lord Kyle, no. Lord Leo Flob. I promise to become your sworn ally, to become the sword and shield that opens the path you will tread, and to lend you my strength.”
Lariel raised her head and extended her hand.
A contract mark appeared on the back of Leo’s hand.
“Once again, please save the world.”
“Yes. I’ll be counting on you, Spirit of Radiance.”
***
It was late at night, after the sun had set.
Iliana, walking ahead, spoke with a flushed face.
“So, I saw the class president go into a seedy street with my own eyes!”
Chelsea narrowed her eyes at Iliana’s words.
“Leo oppa would never go into such a strange alley.”
Iliana looked frustrated at Chelsea’s disbelief.
“Yes! Given the class president’s usual image, it’s unlikely! But the class president is a boy, too!”
Chloe looked at Karl with a look of disdain at Iliana’s words and asked.
“Karl, what do you think?”
“Well, Leo hasn’t shown interest in that kind of thing.”
“Right, he’s a mature Leo.”
“These kids don’t know anything.”
Iliana wagged her index finger.
“The class president is very mature.”
“That’s right.”
“Mature people do amazing things.”
“What amazing things?”
As Chelsea squinted, Karl next to her smirked.
“You know what I mean, don’t you? A magic where if two people go into a room, they become three.”
“No! It’s magic that can even become four!”
Thwack-!
“Gah!”
“Ack!”
Chelsea struck Karl and Iliana on the neck with both arms.
“Enough with the vulgar jokes.”
Watching Chelsea’s disdainful expression, Chloe clicked her tongue.
“He probably went there for an investigation.”
Thus, the four arrived at the entrance of the pleasure district.
“Grandma!”
“You’re the little lady who ran away screaming earlier.”
Late at night.
The old woman chuckled and said.
“This street offers even more amazing sights at night. Are you here out of interest?”
“I’m not interested in that!”
Iliana yelled, and Karl next to her chuckled lewdly.
“Really?”
Thwack-!
“Gah?”
Karl, hit in the solar plexus, collapsed.
“Do you know where that boy who went in earlier went?”
“I haven’t seen him leave, so he must still be in the pleasure district.”
At those words, Iliana flinched and said.
“See! He wouldn’t be investigating for this long! The class president must have gotten lost in the adult world!”
Chloe and Chelsea also looked flustered upon hearing that Leo had been there for so long.
Karl’s jaw dropped.
“Wow, as expected of Leo. He’s so bold!”
“Leo oppa would never do that!”
Chelsea shouted, her face flushed, making Karl flinch.
“N-no! Even if you yell at me.”
“What are you guys doing here?”
Leo appeared at the entrance.
Iliana scanned Leo up and down.
It was when Chelsea and Chloe hesitated slightly.
“Class president, tell me honestly.”
“About what?”
“You were playing around here, right? You experienced the adult world, didn’t you? That’s right, isn’t it?”
At those words, Leo grabbed Iliana’s cheeks.
“What are you talking about?”
“D-don’t!”
“You insolent brat. I knew it from the moment you hid a bunch of indecent magazines and novels in the dorm.”
“Agh! Agh! Agh!”
Iliana screamed, trying to stop Leo from speaking, her face flushed.
“We agreed not to talk about it!”
“Don’t you think you’re having such strange fantasies because you only read things like that?”
“Stop talking!”
Iliana protested urgently, but her dark past was only being revealed as Leo scolded her.
“When I see Leo scolding the kids sometimes,”
Chelsea looked at Karl.
“Doesn’t it remind you of when you were scolded by your parents?”
“Yeah, I agree.”
Chelsea nodded.
Karl looked at Chloe.
“Your expression is ferocious.”
“I’m going to scold Iliana a bit.”
Chloe, as the dorm leader, was angry that Iliana had brought in prohibited items.
“Are you their mother?”
Thwack-!
“Gah!?”
Karl, having said something unnecessary, was hit in the side and rolled on the floor.