Book 1 Chapter 432

"Where…?"

Arion felt a sense of bewilderment at the suddenly changed scenery.

"I was clearly with Erebus…"

Recalling what had happened just moments before, Arion looked up at the boy who was getting up beside him.

"You?"

Seeing Arion's confused expression, Leo, after catching his breath, looked down at his hand.

A small piece of the Hero Record, tattered and burned.

It was Arion's record.

"Lord Leo, how did Arion-nim end up here?"

To Melina, who asked with a flustered face, Leo said softly.

"Let's get out of here for now. There are too many eyes watching if we're to discuss the details."

***

Leo quickly brought the situation under control and returned to the Flove family's territory with Arion and Melina.

Melina waited for Leo to speak.

Arion alone couldn't keep up with the situation.

He just…

"…Stars?"

He could only gaze at the countless stars embedded in the sky, as if they were about to pour down at any moment.

His mouth hung open as he looked at the moon.

It wasn't the terrifying red moon.

He was simply lost in the beauty of the night sky he had never seen before.

A moment later, Arion tore his gaze from the night sky and asked Leo.

"You're Kyle, aren't you?"

'It's like with Luna.'

When Zerdiak, the former Legion Commander and Poison King, appeared in Seirun, and when the demon queen Silatuna invaded Seirun.

Leo had used the divine power contained in Folium to bring Luna out of the hero's world.

It was the same as then.

As proof, all the divine power that had resided in Leo's body was gone.

"That's right."

Leo met Arion's gaze and nodded.

"Kyle, you're right? Then what about Lisinas? Luna and Dwenno?"

Arion's confusion only deepened.

'I've met Arion in the hero's world twice.'

The first time was last summer vacation when I entered Ar and Arion's world.

'The second time was at the beginning of this semester, while conquering Dwenno's world.'

At that time, Dwenno had realized that Leo was Kyle from the future, and so had Arion.

'The fact that he doesn't remember that… Does he only remember the first conquest?'

"Arion."

"Yes?"

"How many times have you met me in this form?"

"It's the second time since I met that strange cat-like child."

'I see.'

Leo nodded.

'Luna also said she remembered meeting me on a different page after meeting me.'

Arion was the same.

'Is the reason he can't recall the memory from Dwenno's world because it's not Arion's world?'

The owner of Dwenno's world was always Dwenno.

'So, memories from other people's Hero Records don't carry over.'

Leo, having sorted out the situation, took a deep breath.

"Arion, listen carefully."

"Yes."

"The era we are in now… is 5000 years after the era of disaster we lived through."

"If this is 5000 years in the future, then you?"

"I was reincarnated."

"You mean reborn?"

"Yes."

Arion fell into thought at Leo's answer.

'If this is the future and Kyle has reincarnated, then the current situation makes sense.'

"Then how did I end up in the future 5000 years from now?"

"In the current era, there is something called a Hero Record."

Leo explained the process by which Arion came to be here.

After hearing the whole story, Arion asked.

"So, we won, didn't we?"

If this time period was truly the future, it was solid proof that the great heroes had won against the primordial evil.

However, Arion wanted to hear it directly from Leo.

Seeing Arion like that, Leo smiled.

"Yes, we won."

"That's a relief."

He gave a smile of relief, as if genuinely reassured.

And he looked up at the night sky once more.

"This must be the stars Luna used to talk about."

Arion marveled purely at the beautiful night sky he was seeing for the first time in his life.

Leo also looked up at the sky, watching Arion.

"It's pretty. I see why Luna said she would become a star."

At Arion's murmur, Leo couldn't help but burst into laughter.

"Doesn't that sound completely out of character?"

"Yes. It doesn't suit him."

Melina, who had been watching their conversation, also looked up at the night sky.

Having looked at the night sky for a long time, it was a landscape that held no special emotion for her.

However, this ordinary landscape must have been something unimaginable 5000 years ago.

Melina lowered her head, watching the backs of the two people looking up at the night sky.

'While I may not be able to represent everyone living now… Thank you.'

***

Afterward, Leo briefly told Arion about the 5000 years of history.

Arion was surprised to hear about the story after the era of disaster ended.

"Berkia?"

Arion's expression turned surprised.

"He became the leader of the elves and is respected?"

"Yes."

"My goodness. Him?"

'…I wonder what the Berkias they remember are like?'

Upon hearing that Berkias was revered as a great figure who rebuilt the elves, Arion reacted with disbelief.

Melina felt a surge of curiosity at his reaction.

Berkia Ersar.

He was a renowned figure of the elf race, known as the founder of the Nebula and a disciple of the Hero.

After Erebus was subdued, he was a great figure who led the elves and revived their race, but before that, he had also put effort into rebuilding the world's forests.

He was a world-renowned figure, beyond just being an elf.

That's why, after getting to know Leo, Melina had asked about Berkias.

'He was an incredibly arrogant brat. His eyes were sharp, his attitude was bad, and he was always climbing on you.'

This was indeed the evaluation of someone who knew Berkias, but it was also a purely personal opinion.

Therefore, she had taken Leo's words with a grain of salt.

'Should I ask? No.'

Melina wanted to ask Arion more about Berkias, but she couldn't bring herself to do it.

She didn't want to tarnish the image of the noble elf hero she had in her imagination.

As Melina shook her head.

"Erebus wasn't completely annihilated, was he?"

Arion's expression clouded over.

"I'm sorry to those heroes of creation. And I'm sorry to you. I've left the difficult task to you."

"No! Arion-nim, you don't have to say that!"

Melina exclaimed, waving her hands in surprise.

"Still, I want to help. I don't know how long I can stay in this time period, but is there anything I can do to help?"

"If so…"

Melina hesitantly began to speak.

"In the current era, there are hero candidates who aspire to follow in the footsteps of the great heroes. Those children are diligently training in these mountains right now. Could you possibly guide them?"

"Like Berkias?"

"Yes."

"Understood."

"Thank you so much!"

Melina smiled brightly.

Leo said, watching her.

"It would be good to give a heads-up to Karl, Lunia, Eiran, and also Dryana and Ar."

In the current era, many real records of Arion are known through the hero's world.

However, it would be difficult for people of the current era to recognize Arion.

'Their impressions are completely different.'

Leo had burst into laughter the first time he saw Arion's portrait in a history book recording the deeds of the great heroes after he reincarnated.

'Because of their impressions, they look like completely different people.'

Leo shook his head, recalling the sharp gaze drawn in the portrait.

In addition, his expression is firm and the aura he exudes is sharp.

He is literally a seasoned warrior who has been through hell and back.

He emanates a power akin to a god of war.

The portraits of Arion remaining in modern times are the result of immense retouching and idealization.

Unlike the known portraits, the real Arion was a gentle, handsome young man.

His eyes are gentle and he always wears a soft smile.

'Although in battle, he sometimes shows a demeanor similar to the portrait.'

More often, one can see him easily frightened by small things.

According to Luna's assertion, he is the type that one wants to protect.

'If people of the current era saw the real Arion, they would simply think he resembles a hero.'

Unless it's within the hero's world where Arion exists.

At this point, where he is a figure of the distant past, it would not be easy to recognize the real Arion if seen.

However, it's a different story for the five people who witnessed Arion's true form in Dwenno's world.

'It would be troublesome in many ways if it became known that Arion appeared in the current world.'

For the elves, countless elves are still making pilgrimages to Seirun.

The feelings of the beastmen towards Arion are not much different from the elves.

'Because courage and strength are the virtues of beastmen.'

And Arion, who is courage and strength itself, is an object of worship.

Countless beastmen would flock to the Flove family's territory.

Leo didn't want to trouble his father.

Furthermore, the news of Arion's appearance in reality might provoke Tartarus.

Melina nodded at Leo's words.

"I'm looking forward to seeing what kind of children will be waiting."

Arion likes children.

The reason he wanted to save the world was because he wanted a world where children could smile brightly.

"They'll all be kind, pure, and passionate children, won't they?"

He seems to think that children living in an era of peace would all be innocent.

'There are quite a few eccentric kids, no less than Luna or Dwenno.'

Leo didn't want to shatter his friend's illusion prematurely.

'He'll probably be startled by Ar again.'

Leo lightly shook his head, seeing Arion smile innocently.

***

The next day, at dawn.

Leo returned to the training camp where the second-year students were staying.

En, who was acting as Leo's substitute, came to a secluded part of the forest to greet Leo.

"You worked hard. Was there any trouble while I was gone?"

"Yes. There were no major issues. However."

"However?"

"The attacks from the Lord's guardians continued throughout the night, and most of the students are still tired."

Leo chuckled at En's words.

'Those grotesque, oversized stuffed animals?'

Even Leo found the grotesque appearance of the guardians unsettling.

Leo shook his head, thinking of those who had suffered from them all night.

As if they had set up a watch due to the guardians, some students stood by the campfire with haggard faces.

"Did you take care of your business?"

Karl greeted Leo with hollow eyes.

"It's pure hell from the first day. Hahaha."

Leo smirked at Karl, who gave a mournful laugh.

"Get some sleep. I'll stand guard in your place until morning."

"Will you do that? Thank you! Leo!"

Normally, Karl would have refused, but he was too exhausted now, so he didn't refuse Leo's offer.

Leo stared at the campfire.

'Arion crossing over to this era.'

The divine power had worked a miracle.

Reaching out to Arion at that moment was purely instinct.

Even if he saved Arion at that moment, nothing would change.

Arion was already dead.

'But I wanted to reassure him, even a little.'

He wanted to show his friend what he had achieved.

It seemed that will had reacted to the divine power and performed a miracle by bringing Arion to the current era.

'I don't know how much time Arion has been allowed, but since it turned out this way, it would be nice if he could enjoy the era of peace together, even for a little bit.'

Leo took a deep breath and looked around at the students.

'Arion as an instructor.'

Leo muttered as he looked at the dawn sky.

"Well, experiencing a new kind of despair wouldn't be so bad."