Book 1 Chapter 390

390.

*Crackle-!*

Powerful pure white lightning was raging through the sanctuary of Pegasus.

"Unbelievable…! Why did the King answer the call of such an impure being?!"

Arphia cried out as if in disbelief.

Watching Arphia, Rodia, with her arms crossed, said.

"It's not unbelievable, is it?"

"What did you say?"

"Well, I know Lord Kyle's reputation well, so I suppose it's not unreasonable for you to think that way."

Rodia turned her gaze to the lightning-struck area.

"You, Pegasi, why do you keep fighting without giving up on a hope you can't even see?"

"Are you also going to call us foolish?"

"Not at all."

Rodia shook her head.

Her orange eyes, like a sunset, looked directly at Arphia.

'Is this dragon really just a young dragon?'

She felt a sense of experience from a dragon still in its infancy.

While Arphia carefully observed Rodia.

"The world hasn't been destroyed thanks to noble beings like you."

Rodia said.

"And if the reason you haven't given up on that hope is because you believe in that faint possibility that the world will someday be saved… then nothing is unbelievable."

Arphia's eyes widened.

"You might not trust him now. But still, believe."

Rodia said, making eye contact with Arphia.

"Because Lord Kyle will perform miracles."

"…Have we met somewhere before?"

"I wonder."

Rodia smiled bitterly.

She pretended not to know, but Rodia knew Arphia well.

Not just Arphia.

She also knew Alene Phrilene, her sworn ally.

'They weren't just acquaintances; they were close friends.'

Alene and Arphia were allies who had participated in the battle against Jormungandr, the Gluttonous King.

And both had sacrificed themselves multiple times to save Rodia.

'Don't mind us and attack, Kyle!'

'Show us! The hope you spoke of!'

In her inexperienced days, Rodia, possessing Kyle's body, spoke of hope to people.

Rodia's words were true.

The world was saved by a great hero and regained peace.

The burnt world returned to its original state, and countless races once again blossomed into a glorious golden age.

But for the people of that time, it was a future as absurd as a delusion.

Alene and Arphia staked everything on those delusional words.

Even though the one who spoke those words was Kyle, the Surviving Hero, who could be called a fated foe.

They didn't hesitate to sacrifice everything to pave the way for Rodia's sincere words.

'It's still painful.'

Rodia closed her eyes.

'To share friendship… and for a friend who saved me countless times… to forget me.'

She couldn't simply dismiss them as figures from the past.

*Whoosh-!*

At that moment, the lightning cleared, and Leo and Albus revealed themselves.

At that moment, all the Pegasi knelt and bowed their heads.

"Everyone, raise your heads."

At Albus's words, the Pegasi raised their heads.

"I have made a pact with Kyle, who is here."

The Pegasi began to murmur.

"Of course, I haven't recognized him as a full sworn ally."

Albus glanced at Leo.

"He certainly has the qualifications to contract with me, but I don't yet know what kind of person he truly is."

A King of Phantasmal Beasts wouldn't contract merely by satisfying the conditions.

He evaluates whether one is truly worthy as a sworn ally.

He also assesses if they are worthy of help in what they pursue.

If he didn't like it, he could break the contract at any time.

At Albus's words, Leo let out a chuckle.

"So, Kyle."

Albus blinked with an expressionless face.

"You said you would subjugate the primordial evil, right? Do you have a plan?"

"Indeed. First, I've decided what needs to be done first."

"What is it?"

"To subjugate Jormungandr, the Gluttonous King."

A moment of silence fell among the Pegasi.

It was because of the name of the most terrifying demon, casually uttered by Leo.

"What… did you say?"

Arphia asked again.

Leo smiled and said to Arphia.

"Subjugating Jormungandr, the Gluttonous King. That's the first objective."

***

'As expected, Alene Phrilene joined without hesitation.'

Walking through the streets, Lycina recalled the list of candidates for the subjugation party.

Alene Phrilene.

Lycina had befriended her on her very first day in Gadstron.

From their very first meeting, Lycina had seen through Alene's essence.

'Good and Order.'

Lycina had pursued countless wisdoms since childhood.

It wasn't merely because she had much intellectual curiosity.

Dragons have symbols unique to their species.

For Black Dragons, it is darkness.

And each species must become accustomed to its symbol.

Fire Dragons and Water Dragons are born in volcanoes and the sea.

And they spend their infancy in volcanoes and the sea.

The same goes for Black Dragons.

Black Dragons, who must become accustomed to darkness, grow up in deep underground from a young age.

Lycina was no different.

In the pitch-black darkness, Lycina embraced the darkness.

Black Dragons are those who protect the world's order within darkness.

They would not only execute traitors who betrayed the world but also sacrifice the few for the many.

That was the Black Dragons' way of maintaining order.

Lycina also took this for granted.

She was more exceptional than anyone, and many of her kin had no doubt that she would grow to be the King of Darkness.

Then one day.

Led by the hands of adults, she had the opportunity to see the outside world, though it was still early.

Young dragons destined to lead the next generation gathered in one place for a Dragon Tribe meeting.

And the world she saw.

It captivated the young Lycina's heart.

'It was a shock.'

For Lycina, who had only lived in darkness, the world was incredibly beautiful.

'It was… moving.'

She was deeply moved by the fact that this was the world she lived in.

And curiosity about the world she lived in arose.

That was when it began.

Her exploration of everything in this world.

The more she learned about the world, the deeper her affection grew.

She had no doubt that everything in this world had value.

It was around that time.

That she began to deny the Black Dragon's values of cutting out those deemed unnecessary for the world's sake.

And then… the era met with disaster.

The world Lycina had been curious about was destroyed.

The world lost its light and hope, transforming into a place filled only with darkness, despair, and lament.

So Lycina resolved.

To restore the world she loved to its original state.

She delved into ancient texts to subjugate the primordial evil.

And she learned about Erebus, the primordial evil.

'That he was a being comparable to a god. And that he was an existence pushed out of this world, which had been built by divine order over a long time.'

The reason why the demon race, born from Erebus, was not eradicated even under the age of the gods.

It was because even the gods could not destroy Erebus.

'If the gods were light… Erebus was darkness.'

Light and darkness.

They can never coexist, yet they cannot be separated.

And the order established by the gods collapsed.

Erebus's flames engulfed the world.

The gods could not set foot in the mortal realm, and the world hurtled towards destruction.

Just as the gods hated Erebus, Erebus hated them in return.

But they both knew that they couldn't completely destroy each other, for their existence was intertwined.

Therefore, the gods bound the darkness with their order.

But Erebus was different.

The primordial evil chose to burn everything away and vanish.

Because he knew that was the only way to annihilate the gods he hated.

'If one lives under the order established by the gods… they cannot defeat Erebus.'

So she searched.

For a hero who would save this world.

A miraculous hero free from divine order.

And what she found was Kyle, the Surviving Hero.

'Mana with pure characteristics, unconstrained by anything. Thanks to this, he possessed the unprecedented power of all classes.'

Quite literally, a being outside the world's order.

If Lycina's predictions were correct, Kyle was the natural enemy of Erebus, the primordial evil.

The hero Lycina had so desperately searched for.

'Well, the guy I barely found was far from a hero, though.'

Therefore, Lycina couldn't prematurely reveal the fact that Kyle possessed the power to defeat Erebus.

Luna, the genius elven sorceress.

Agon, the Azure Sky Guardian of the beastfolk.

Dweno, the dwarven blacksmith.

These three chosen companions for the journey to defeat Erebus were heroes who would open the path to him.

'Including myself.'

She could suppress the power of the inextinguishable flame of disaster, but she couldn't defeat it.

'Only Kyle can defeat Erebus. In the end, he will undertake the most dangerous task.'

That meant he would have to sacrifice himself for the world.

Lycina could willingly lay down her life for the world.

But not everyone could.

'If Kyle changed his mind and refused to fight Erebus… the world couldn't be saved.'

Kyle, the sole hope for saving the world.

That's why Lycina concealed Kyle's mana characteristics.

Because there was no guarantee that Kyle felt the same way she did.

Lycina gritted her teeth.

She recalled herself, extending a hand and smiling nobly, promising to surely save the world.

Feeling sick with self-loathing, Lycina mocked herself.

'In the end, am I just an unavoidable Black Dragon too?'

Sacrificing the few for the many.

It was no different from the Black Dragon's values she had come to detest.

Shuddering at herself, Lycina returned to the inn.

And she paused, seeing the three waiting with a meal prepared.

"Who are these two?"

With a slightly flustered face, Lycina looked at the young dragon girl of her kind, who was staring at her with sparkling eyes.

"Hello! Lady Lycina! My name is Rodia! I've admired you for a long time!"

"…I'm not such a respectable dragon. I'm even called foolish."

"Yes! Don't worry! From now on, I'll burn all those who utter such disrespectful words…"

"Quiet."

Leo sighed and pressed down on Rodia's head.

Then, looking at Lycina, he said.

"She wants to follow us on our journey."

Leo smiled faintly and looked at Albus.

"And this one is…"

-Hmm. The King of Pure White, isn't he?

Katariu, who had appeared above Lycina's head, curled up the corners of his mouth.

"Nice to meet you, Emperor of Flames."

-It's quite surprising for the noblest being to take such an utterly rude human as a sworn ally.

At Katariu's words, Albus said.

"Because Kyle's voice reached me."

Watching Albus speak calmly, Lycina urgently grabbed Leo's wrist.

Then she led Leo outside the inn and asked.

"How did you make a contract with the King of Pegasi?"

To Lycina's question, Leo replied.

"You already know, don't you? About my mana characteristics."

"What?"

Lycina's eyes widened.

"You… knew?"

"Yes."

Leo said calmly.

"I also know that's why you chose me."

Leo smiled faintly.

"…Then you must know that you're in the most danger, right? So why did you follow me?"

"Because I believe you will lead the world to salvation."

At the unhesitating answer, Lycina gasped.

"Don't worry too much, Lycina. We will save the world."

Leo said with conviction.

"I'm ready. So don't hesitate. We just… need to move forward."

Leo knew.

That even Lycina, who had smiled so calmly then, was feeling anxious about the uncertain future.

So he wanted to give her hope.

'Just like I received it.'

Leo, who had smiled faintly and patted Lycina's shoulder, said.

"Let's go inside. That Rodia will likely take a liking to you too."

"Okay."

Lycina nodded, smiling.

'Kyle truly is the hero I've been searching for.'

Suddenly, that thought struck her.

If Kyle was the hero she had been searching for.

Then she had to do her best to aid Kyle's journey.

If that was the case…

"Yes. Kyle. You will surely save the world."

'I must become Kyle's shadow.'