Book 1 Chapter 438

438.

Arion looked at Chelsea, who was gazing up at him with sparkling eyes, and wore a tense expression.

"It's truly an honor to meet you! To be able to meet the Great Hero in person like this! It feels like a dream!"

"Uh, uh-huh. I-I'm happy to meet you too."

"Gasp?!"

"Wh-why?"

Arion was flustered as he watched Chelsea gasp and open her mouth wide.

"Leo oppa! Arion-nim said he was happy to meet me!"

Arion scratched his cheek, watching Chelsea, who was covering her cheeks and not knowing what to do.

"Are you that happy to have met me?"

"Of course! You're the Great Hero who saved this world! Thank you so much! For saving the world!"

Arion's eyes widened at her innocent, bright smile.

Chelsea looked a little flustered as she watched Arion stare intently at her face.

Arion smiled as he looked at such a Chelsea.

"Yeah."

Arion reached out a hand and stroked Chelsea's head.

Chelsea's eyes widened into circles.

"Thank you for saying that."

Chelsea, who had been looking up at Arion with a faint smile, soon beamed.

"Arion-nim! Me too! Please stroke my head too!"

"Alright, alright."

As Ar shoved his head forward, Arion smiled and stroked his head.

Seeing that, Kyle said.

"Hey, Chelsea. I'm just saying this out of an old man's worry, but the fact that Instructor Akan is Arion-nim…"

"I know that too. That I shouldn't tell other people. Do you think I'm an idiot?"

Chelsea snorted with a slightly prim voice.

"Anyway, I have something I'm curious about."

At that, Lunia made a thoughtful expression.

"Arion-nim, how exactly did you manifest in the current world?"

"Through an item called the Hero Record."

"Like Lady Luna and Seirun-nim manifested in the current world, right?"

As Arion nodded, Dryana crossed her arms.

"If so, there's another question. Why do you remember Leo and Ar, but not us?"

"I'm not sure about that."

Arion shook his head.

Lunia, who had been pondering, raised her index finger and said.

"Perhaps the reason you only remember Leo and Ar is because they were the only two who entered Arion-nim's world?"

"That certainly sounds plausible, doesn't it?"

Kyle stroked his chin.

"I suppose that's the case. We met Arion-nim in Dwenno-nim's world. When Lady Luna appeared in Seirun, she definitely remembered me."

Lunia said, recalling Luna's appearance as she defeated Zerdiac in Seirun.

Arion admired Lunia.

"You're smart. Just like Luna."

"Oh, no."

"Even your personality seems exactly alike!"

"That's truly an honor."

Lunia showed a shy expression at Arion's words.

Hearing that, Ar shouted.

"Arion-nim! You shouldn't be fooled! You are being deceived right now."

"Huh? What is?"

"This cunning elf is currently feigning innocence. You must not be deceived by this appearance."

As Dryana, with her arms crossed, spoke seriously, Ar nodded vigorously.

"That's right, Arion-nim! Comparing the benevolent Lady Luna with this ferocious elf, I think, is an insult to Lady Luna!"

"You brats!"

Lunia, sparks flying in her eyes, strangled Ar and Dryana with both arms.

Of course, as they were two individuals who surpassed Lunia in physical abilities, they did not stop talking.

"Indeed, there's no difference from a thug… *choke*!"

Kyle, who had been snickering and teasing, was kicked in the abdomen and collapsed.

"Certainly, comparing Miss Lunia to Lady Luna is a bit…"

"Eiran! Not you too!"

It was when Lunia's eyes were getting increasingly fierce.

Arion burst out laughing at the sight.

"Yeah. Seeing that, it's clear. Even your personalities are identical."

"What?"

"Huh?"

"What do you mean?"

Everyone stared at Arion with dumbfounded expressions.

"What kind of person is the Luna you all know?"

"Well, benevolent and generous… a gentle goddess-like figure, right?"

As Eiran answered with a shocked expression, Arion tilted his head.

"Luna isn't benevolent, nor is she particularly generous. And gentle? Goddess?"

Arion's face changed strangely at the modifiers that didn't suit Luna at all, and by the end, he was slightly frowning.

"Im-impossible! That can't be!"

Lunia grabbed her head, denying the shocking reality.

"Hey, Leo. You've met Lady Luna with Lunia in the Hero's World, haven't you? How was she?"

Leo, who had pondered for a moment at Kyle's question, answered.

"An immature tomboy?"

"You! Don't blaspheme Lady Luna!"

"You saw it too, didn't you?"

"That was when Lady Luna was a naive child! There's no way Lady Luna could have a personality similar to mine! There's no way she could have a personality like mine!"

Leo looked pitifully at Lunia, who was denying reality with all her might.

"She knows her own personality is bad well!"

"Yeah. She truly represents Seirun. She seems to know herself well."

Chelsea nodded in agreement at Kyle's admiration.

"You brats!"

As Lunia, sparks flying from her eyes, charged, Chelsea quickly used Kyle as a shield.

"Hey! What are you doing, Chelsea!"

"Friend shield."

"Hey! Hey?! *Screech*?!"

Kyle's scream echoed.

At the credible testimony from the Great Hero's mouth, Leo wore a relieved expression.

'It won't be long until Luna's true nature is exposed.'

***

"Whew! I was receiving teachings from the Hero!"

Chelsea wore an excited expression, as if her heart was still pounding.

"Hmph! To be truly happy to receive Arion-nim's teachings. Even though you're a mage, you're sensible, Chelsea. Who is your favorite Great Hero?"

"Kyle-nim, the Hero of Beginnings. Next time, I'll have to ask Arion-nim about Kyle-nim!"

At Chelsea's answer, Ar made a sullen face.

"Anyway, it's shocking that Lady Luna had such a personality."

"Indeed, coming from the Great Hero himself… it means her personality is as eccentric as Lunia's, doesn't it?"

Kyle stroked his chin at Chelsea's words.

While doing so, he was wary of Lunia attacking, but Lunia was still unable to recover from the shock.

Previously, in Dwenno's world, they hadn't been able to ask about the Great Hero in detail, fearing it would affect the strategy.

'So I had maintained my own illusions, but they were shattered today.'

While Leo clicked his tongue.

Dryana asked Eiran.

"Anyway, Eiran, you don't seem particularly shocked."

"Me? About what?"

"About Lady Luna's personality being similar to Lunia's."

"Miss Lunia certainly has a violent side, but she's still a very righteous elf, isn't she?"

Eiran smiled brightly.

"Besides, Arion-nim said, didn't he? That Lady Luna was truly curious and always passionate about magic. I can imagine what kind of person she was. She must have been a confident and always dignified… wonderful person."

Lunia's ears twitched at Eiran's words.

"Right, at the very least, since she had a personality like mine, she must have beaten up all the bad guys. Yeah."

Lunia began to think positively and started to relax her mood.

Seeing that, Leo recalled Luna, who would become conceited to no end when praised, but would endlessly dig into the ground when something went wrong.

Recalling old times, Leo said.

"Go on ahead. I'll catch up soon."

Seeing Leo enter the bushes, Eiran approached.

"Shall I go with you too?"

"If you follow, I'll be a bit troubled, you know?"

"Huh? What do you mean by that… *Gasp*! S-sorry!"

Eiran, who had been looking puzzled, turned beet red and hastily backed away.

Eiran, who pondered alone over the subtle answer, let out a "Hoo!" and covered her face.

As Leo entered, the dragon N, who looked exactly like Leo, bowed its head from atop a tree.

"Welcome, Leo-nim."

"I'm counting on you."

"Understood."

N, who was acting as Leo's double, exited the bushes.

"Oh? You came back quickly?"

"I just misaw something for a moment."

As Kyle asked with a puzzled expression, N, in Leo's form, shrugged and replied.

Leo, having entrusted N with his role as a double, immediately returned to Arion.

Arion was already gazing at the night sky, where the sun had set and stars filled it. - He really likes the night sky.

Kirian, who had appeared, muttered, crossing his arms.

"Indeed. He doesn't seem to get tired of it."

Piora, who had taken human form, also crunched a candy as if amazed.

- You'll turn into a pig again if you keep doing that?

Kirian teased, but Piora didn't mind.

- You all wouldn't understand.

At that, Elsi said.

- For someone born in the Age of Calamity, the beauty of this night sky is… beyond imagination.

Elsi smiled gently.

Leo approached Arion and said.

"Did you have a nightmare or something? Why did you suddenly transform into your beast form a moment ago?"

"I don't know either. I think I smelled something strange. Did anything happen while I was sleeping?"

"There was an earthquake, though."

"Was it because of that?"

Arion said, tilting his head.

"That girl, Chelsea. She resembled the younger children from the orphanage."

"Chelsea still has an innocent side to her."

Although there was only a one-year age difference, she was more innocent than the other students.

Yet, she also had a sharp, decisive side.

"So? Did it make you realize anew that you saved the world well?"

"Yeah. I realized that my wish had come true."

Arion smiled brightly.

Chelsea didn't know it herself, but the greeting she conveyed saved Arion.

"So now I want to find it."

Having come to the future and seen what he desired, Arion found another goal.

"Kyle, what you told me you wanted to do for me."

"Right."

"How much time do I have left?"

"……"

Leo fell silent at Arion's question.

'When Luna came out of the Hero's World into the current world, she couldn't stay for long.'

Unlike Luna, Arion has been staying in this era for a long time.

The reason was simple.

'Luna had used an immense amount of magic to defeat Zerdiac and Silatuna.'

Because of that, the consumption of divine power that constituted Luna's body was also enormous.

Unlike Luna, Arion is barely using aura.

That's why the consumption of divine power is slow.

'If he participates in combat even once… Arion will also disappear.'

"Enjoy this peace as much as you can."

"Yeah."

Arion smiled and nodded.

"Ah! There's something I want to do."

Arion rose from his seat and smiled brightly.

"You said Shilrod was still alive, right? I want to meet Shilrod!"

"That's a good idea. Shilrod will surely be happy too."

***

Opening a warp to Fairy Land through Melina was not difficult.

- Welcome, Leo Flobe-nim. The King is awaiting your visit.

It was a land of fairies where outsiders could not easily set foot, but Leo and Arion received a great welcome.

Guided by the fairy, Leo headed towards the Fairy King's residence.

- It's a shame Kirian couldn't come. It's his hometown.

Elsi, perched on Leo's shoulder, murmured.

"What can be done? He's an exile."

Kirian was depressed that he couldn't return to his hometown.

"It's karma."

- Wow! Miss Piora! You're good at difficult words now!

"Ahem!"

Piora, who was clinging to Leo's side, put her hands on her hips and raised her chin.

Soon, only Shilrod was inside the Fairy King's residence.

- Truly… it's you, Arion.

"Have you been well? You're still a crybaby."

- And you, Arion, are still a coward.

Shilrod, who had flown in front of Arion, wiped away tears.

Arion, who had been gently smiling at Shilrod, suddenly wore a puzzled expression.

"What's wrong?"

As Leo looked puzzled, Arion said.

"No, it's just that Shilrod smells strange."

Shilrod said, looking at Arion who was slightly frowning.

- Ah. It's probably because of that.

"That?"

- Yes.

Shilrod nodded heavily.

- A fragment of Erebus.