Book 1 Chapter 385

385.

Gadsworth.

The last fortress of humanity and the place where the spark of hope began.

A great, impregnable fortress, literally called the land of hope.

But even Gadsworth wasn't great from the start.

'No, it was a mess at first.'

Leo, who had settled into a tavern in Gadsworth, gave a bitter smile.

Gadsworth was no different.

The fact that it remained, even on the verge of destruction, wasn't due to any special reason.

'It was just luck.'

The fact that Tartarus's footsteps hadn't reached it until the very end was literally due to everything being lucky.

It was a land called by many glorious titles, but until this time, it was not much different from other last cities.

Public order was at its worst, and countless refugees had flocked there.

Resources were limited.

Crucially, 'fear' lingered – the fear of not knowing when it would fall into destruction.

But even so, it was a place where people lived.

There were taverns where those who fought on the battlefield could quench their thirst and fill their bellies.

In an era when no one knew when the fortress would fall and everyone would perish.

Drinking might have seemed utterly preposterous.

'But it was also an era where it was hard to get through each day sane, unless you drank yourself silly and got drunk.'

That's how little hope was left in this world.

Literally on the edge of a cliff.

The era Leo had entered was such an era.

The great Tartarus offensive had ended.

After that, it was a time when any tavern would be crowded.

But in the tavern and inn where Leo was currently, there was no one.

Only Leo was sitting at a table.

The elf who ran the tavern placed two large, rough mugs on the table and then went to the counter, crossed her legs, and sat down.

This was also the regular tavern of the surviving hero, Kyle.

'I was indebted to him right before my last journey.'

Leo gave a bitter smile, looking at an acquaintance from the depths of his memory.

"Sorry, sorry."

Just then, Lysinass came down from the second floor.

"I was doing something for a moment."

Lysinass sat in front of Leo, with a somehow refreshed smile.

'Did he just finish writing his memoirs?'

Lysinass had recorded everything about the Age of Calamity in his memoirs.

And today was the day he joined the party.

Recalling the memoir of that day, Leo burst out laughing inwardly.

"Today is a historic day when we formed the subjugation party, so drink to your heart's content. If I had my way, I'd buy a drink for all the customers, but…"

Lysinass looked around.

"Since you and I are together, no customers dare approach this tavern."

"The surviving hero is a symbol of misfortune, and the foolish one spreads useless hope, so we are avoided."

"That's how it is now. But soon, the way people look at us will change. This city will change too."

Lysinass raised his mug, speaking with a voice full of strong determination.

"Alright, then, before we have a serious talk. This is just the beginning."

Lysinass smiled broadly.

'This is the last time.'

"To bless our future and the hope of the world, a toast."

'To bless our future and the hope of the world, a toast.'

5000 years ago.

When he shared his last drink with his friends.

Leo silently watched Lysinass deliver the same toast as back then.

"…Kyle?"

Lysinass looked at Leo, who was silently staring at him, with a puzzled expression.

"Cheers."

Thud-!

The wooden mug made a rough sound.

'I never imagined that after everyone died, thousands of years later, I'd return to the time when we first shared a drink.'

"Kyle?"

Lysinass, who was sipping his drink, asked with a slightly bewildered voice.

"Is there something good happening? Why are you laughing like that?"

At the question, Leo's eyes widened, then he rested his chin on his hand and laughed.

"Just because I'm happy."

Lysinass looked confused.

'He wasn't this kind of person, was he?'

Lysinass knew Kyle's personality well.

He had been chasing Kyle for the past few weeks to get him to join the party, so he had more than enough experience with his twisted personality.

'He's called me foolish, a lizard, and said all sorts of rude things to me until now.'

If he had his way, he would have punched him in the face, but he endured it, trying to make a good impression.

But a moment ago.

After defending the Gadsworth workshop and joining the party, he felt unfamiliar.

'What does it matter? Whatever it is, the fact that he's a member of the subjugation party I formed hasn't changed.'

The surviving hero, Kyle.

His strength was already world-renowned.

The demonkin felt fear from him.

'A true master who survived countless battlefields.'

Lysinass wanted such comrades.

After seeing Kyle in person, his resolve to recruit him into the subjugation party became even stronger.

'An unprecedented All-Class. He will surely be a great help in the battle against Erebus.'

Thinking so, Lysinass cleared his throat, "Ahem!"

"Alright, Kyle. Then, I'd like to have a serious talk. About what's to come."

Lysinass placed his mug down and crossed his arms.

With a serious expression, Lysinass said,

"As you know, my goal is to subjugate Erebus and save this world. To do that, I absolutely need you. That's why I recruited you into the party."

"Yes."

"But. You and I alone are not enough to save the world."

Lysinass took a deep breath and said firmly,

"So, we need strong comrades to accompany us on our journey."

"Do you have any candidates in mind?"

"Of course, first, we need a mage."

Lysinass opened a sub-space and unfolded a map.

A world map from 5000 years ago.

Most of the land was colored black.

It was the territory burned and lost by Erebus.

Among them, Lysinass pointed to an area that was not yet burned.

"This is it. The homeland forest of the Southern Elves. A land cursed by the Monster Queen. Here, there is a genius elf sorceress named 'Luna Rubinance'. You've heard her name, haven't you?"

"Yeah."

"I heard she is a more noble elf than anyone else."

'…Come to think of it, such rumors were indeed spread back then.'

"If we convey our intentions, the noble her will surely join us on our journey."

'What did Luna say to me when I first met her?'

'Are you crazy? What did you eat wrong to think such a thing?'

Leo had merely conveyed Lysinass's intentions to Luna as they were.

But it was not Lysinass but himself who was called crazy.

He suddenly felt wronged.

Then he looked at Lysinass, who was seriously staring at the land now called the Forest of Monsters.

Until this time.

No, until just before meeting Luna, Lysinass had great expectations for Luna.

It couldn't be helped.

Because the first member Lysinass recruited into the party was his own twisted self.

'He wouldn't have known back then. That Luna was the most disobedient person in our party.'

"Your eyes look strange?"

"What's wrong with my eyes?"

Lysinass continued speaking with an unsettled expression.

"Next, the member we need to recruit into the party is Argon, the 'Guardian of the Azure Sky' in Reysar."

Argon, the Guardian of the Azure Sky.

Arion's master, he was already highly renowned as a powerful hero even before the Age of Calamity.

The name 'Guardian of the Azure Sky' was earned because he had long protected the blue sky.

But when Lysinass, Kyle, and Luna went to find him, his will had already been broken.

Instead of Argon, Arion joined the party.

"The Guardian of the Azure Sky is a great hero who has thwarted countless demonkin. He is always dignified and brave. He will be a reliable vanguard."

'Instead, Arion joined. In large battles, he played the role of a reliable vanguard as Lysinass hoped. But in small battles, he's more unreliable than anyone.'

His overwhelming skill and the courage he showed in critical situations were undoubtedly perfect for the vanguard of the subjugation party.

'Lysinass's face was worth seeing during the first battle.'

Arion, terrified, hid behind Lysinass.

It was not strange, as he possessed immense power but was still an inexperienced boy at the time.

However, since he had just seen the boisterous Luna, Lysinass's expectations for the next party member were even more desperate, so when he saw a terrified Arion, he made a face as if he was about to cry for the first time.

'How much Luna laughed when she saw that!'

"Why do you keep looking at me like that?"

"What?"

"Don't look at me with pity."

"I never did."

At Leo's words, Lysinass furrowed his brow and said,

"Next, we need a blacksmith who can make powerful weapons and armor. Of course, since we are outnumbered, they must also be a warrior with overwhelming skill. There's only one man who fits that description. There are rumors that he's a bit eccentric, but they say he's an amazing person."

'He wasn't just a bit eccentric.'

'Dweyno, we need your strength. Please join us on our journey.'

At their first meeting, Dweyno, who was staring at Lysinass bowing like a dragon, looked at Leo who had come with him and said,

'You.'

'Why?'

'Are you and this dragon-kin woman lovers?'

'This human and I are not like that.'

'Really?'

'Absolutely not.'

'Hmm.'

Dweyno stroked his chin, looking at Lysinass suspiciously, then nodded.

'Understood. But I have a condition, Black Dragon.'

'Speak, Blacksmith Dweyno.'

Dweyno said with a face that was almost sublime.

'Become my nude model.'

'Did I hear that wrong?'

'You heard correctly. Your beauty needs to be known for generations to come.'

At that moment, Lysinass definitely made a face as if he had given birth to the world.

'Let's go, Kyle. This guy doesn't seem right.'

Kyle picked up a sword lying around like trash in Dweyno's workshop and said,

'This is an amazing sword, why is it just left here?'

'That's a failure. It's not beautiful.'

'If a failure is this good, it seems like it would be a great help?'

'Let's go! A guy with a twisted personality! A tomboy! A coward is enough! It's absolutely not allowed for a pervert like this to join!'

Lysinass desperately tried to stop Leo.

'Hey, old dwarf. We have an elf as beautiful as this one in our party, want to join?'

'Ho ho? If that's the case, it might be worth following!'

'Kyle!'

Dweyno joined the party, leaving Lysinass screaming as if letting out a shriek.

Leo looked at Lysinass with sympathetic eyes.

"So why do you keep looking at me like that?"

"…I just thought saving the world wouldn't be easy."

"Of course not. Don't think useless thoughts, what do you think about the potential comrades we'll be with?"

"…They seem like amazing people."

"Right? They'll be different from someone with a dirty personality like you."

Lysinass, who had been wronged by Leo, said with a slight emotional edge.

"…Yes. They'll definitely be different from someone with a dirty personality like me."

Later, Lysinass confessed while drinking.

That the first impression of the person he was sure had the worst first impression was actually the most normal.