Book 1 Chapter 444

444.

"Wow. Wow."

Arion clutched the book, admiring it.

"This novel is really fun."

Leo rested his chin on his hand, watching Arion speak with sparkling eyes.

"That's a history book."

What Arion was reading was none other than a history book detailing the deeds of great heroes.

Of course, it was true that many of the great heroes' deeds had become fiction by the current era.

However, as it was written by renowned scholars, the book Arion was reading was akin to a textbook on the history of great heroes in this world.

'Well, I thought it was a novel when I first read it too.'

"I like the beastmen in this book the most."

"Hey."

Leo narrowed his eyes as he watched Arion speak with a beaming smile.

As Arion and Leo were reading a book about their own stories, Chelsea was lost in thought.

'Come to think of it, there were more than a few strange things about Leo-oppa.'

Leo had stood out since the entrance exam.

The first time they met, he easily subdued Chelsea without using aura.

Not only that.

He single-handedly fought a monster that Celiana and Abad had barely defeated by combining their strength.

Of course, it wasn't that he couldn't defeat the monster because he couldn't use aura at the time.

'But even then, he had overwhelming strength that couldn't be compared to others his age.'

Chelsea was moved by Leo's battles, which were like those of a hero from a fairy tale.

'Even after entering the academy, Leo-oppa was the center of attention.'

The biggest topic was, of course, his unprecedented all-class status.

'An all-class like Kyle, the Hero of Beginning.'

The all-class, which was thought not to exist in reality, was proven by Leo.

Moreover, he didn't just handle all three powers; he excelled in every aspect.

Leo was a seasoned knight, an overwhelming magician, and an amazing summoner.

If he had only excelled in the Knight Department, it would have been understandable.

Leo's maternal relatives were Zerdingers, and his mother, Reina, was a famous knight in her youth.

However, his mastery of magic and summoning showed a level of skill that hinted at seasoned experience.

'It was already beyond the realm of talent.'

And now, a year after entering the academy.

He had obtained power that was incomparable to his peers.

'I thought he was an amazing person comparable to great heroes until now.'

Snapping out of her thoughts, Chelsea folded her arms and looked at Leo and Arion.

'The more I think about it, the more strange things there are.'

As doubts arose, things she had taken for granted followed in a chain.

'Leo-oppa has explored an unusually large number of great heroes' worlds. He was even the first to reveal that Kyle, the Hero of Beginning, was real!'

Chelsea stared intently at Leo's face.

'Furthermore, even before that fact was revealed, Leo-oppa had a deep interest in Kyle, the Hero of Beginning. Didn't he even research Kyle, the Hero of Beginning, through club activities?'

At the time, she had simply thought that because he was an all-class, he was interested in Kyle, the Hero of Beginning, who was the only one to have left his name in history as an all-class.

But thinking about it now, it was strange.

'Leo-oppa definitely has a secret related to Kyle, the Hero of Beginning.'

Chelsea racked her brain.

'A descendant, perhaps… not a successor, though. Could it be… Kyle himself?'

Reaching that thought, Chelsea's eyes widened.

If so, everything she had thought of before made sense.

'Could it really be?!'

It was when Chelsea was in shock.

"Chelsea, let's go."

"Yes, yes!"

At Arion's words, who had approached from behind, Chelsea jumped up from her seat and answered loudly.

The intense gazes of the entire library fell upon them.

Arion bowed his head apologetically, and Chelsea also hastily apologized to the other patrons.

"Why are you acting unlike yourself?"

Leo approached and asked, and Chelsea smiled awkwardly.

"Ah, it's nothing."

As she said that, she stared intently at Leo's retreating back.

Arion tilted his head, watching Chelsea.

***

After finishing their sightseeing, it was evening.

Leo settled into their lodging in Delan.

And in that lodging were the students who knew Arion's identity.

In other words, the students who had previously conquered Dwe'no's world had gathered.

"Why are you here instead of going home?"

Luna asked Leo with a puzzled expression.

Since the Flov family mansion was in Delan, Luna had expected Leo to stay there.

Leo replied to Luna's question.

"The training camp is still ongoing. Besides, if I go home, my mother will surely make a fuss."

"So you're still just a son in front of your parents?"

Luna smiled faintly.

"By the way, where are Arion-nim and the foolish cat?"

They had rented out an entire small hotel for Arion.

Given that Arion and Ar were not present in such a situation, Luna was puzzled.

"They went to the bathhouse together."

Driana replied, eating an entire cream cake.

"H-together in the bathhouse?!"

Eiran exclaimed in surprise and blushed slightly.

"What are you thinking? It's just that they needed a place with water for howling training."

"R-right! I thought they were going for howling training too!"

Driana said with half-closed eyes, and Eiran replied in surprise.

Driana made a displeased face as she watched Eiran.

"Eiran. Do you look at every situation with such lustful eyes?"

"L-lustful? I-I've never thought of such a thing!"

"With your mind full of lewd thoughts, why do you refuse to be a nude model!"

"I've never thought of that!"

Eiran grabbed Karl by the neck and shook him wildly, tears welling up.

Seeing Driana being shaken violently, Karl said,

"It's okay, Eiran. It's part of adolescence…" *cough*!

"I didn't!"

Eiran shut her eyes tightly, tears welling up, and shook Karl by the neck.

"S-save me… *cough*! *gasp*!"

Karl struggled, but the excited Eiran had no time to pay attention to him.

Watching this, Driana muttered,

"Karl, that guy is sometimes brave."

"Isn't it because you're fine even when your neck is being choked?"

"Aren't I sturdy?"

Although Eiran's hands looked delicate, they were incredibly fierce.

Finally, seeing Karl foaming at the mouth and slumping, Eiran let out a scream.

***

"Gurgle gurgle gurgle gurgle-! *Puhwa*!"

Ar, who had been howling in the bath, quickly raised his head.

Watching Ar panting, Arion said,

"Yes. It's improved significantly. Although the power to summon other beastmen doesn't seem to have manifested yet, shall we stop for today?"

Although it looked like a simple water torture at first glance, Ar's howling was definitely getting stronger with Arion's special training.

Moreover, with Arion's explanations by his side, Ar's skills were visibly improving.

"Chelsea, you worked hard too."

Chelsea was blocking the howling sounds from escaping outside with the wind.

"No, it's my job."

Chelsea shook her head and glanced at Arion.

Seeing Chelsea like that, Arion smiled faintly.

"Do you have something to say?"

"Ah, it's nothing. I'll go out first!"

Chelsea quickly shook her head and left the bath.

'Should I ask Arion-nim or Leo-oppa? No. It's just my guess. Leo-oppa is actually Kyle? That's absurd. Besides, even if my guess is true, it's something that needs to be kept secret. It's awkward to pretend to know.'

Arion watched Chelsea's retreating back as she agonized inwardly.

Seeing that, Ar drooped his ears and tail.

"Arion-nim likes Chelsea more, don't you?"

"Huh?"

Arion looked at Ar.

Ar lowered his head slightly and said,

"You're kind to Chelsea. Of course, you're kind to me too… but Arion-nim takes care of Chelsea the most."

He said it with a slightly disappointed look.

"Of course, meeting Arion-nim like this and having conversations and receiving howling lessons is a great honor. But I wanted to be more helpful to Arion-nim and receive praise. It seems I'm lacking."

The fact that Chelsea had taken over guiding Arion in his place today was a great shock to Ar.

Seeing Ar's disappointed expression, Arion scratched his cheek.

"Ar and Chelsea are different. Of course, I think of both of you like younger siblings, but I receive a lot of comfort from Chelsea."

"I don't bring you comfort?"

"From you, I have more expectations than comfort."

"What?"

At Arion's words, Ar's eyes widened.

Arion patted Ar's head and said,

"Whether you like it or not. Whether you wanted it or not. Ar, you inherited a lot from me."

Arion smiled bitterly.

"You inherited far more than I passed on to Berkia."

Arion released his hand, knelt down, and met Ar's eyes.

"I didn't want my children to go to war. I wanted children like you and Chelsea to live lives unrelated to combat. For that, I mustered up courage that I didn't have."

"Arion-nim…"

"But because I was lacking, we couldn't bring everything to an end and ended up leaving the flames of disaster to future generations."

"Arion-nim is absolutely not lacking!"

Ar flared up and stood up abruptly.

Arion smiled as he watched Ar.

"Thank you for saying that. In any case, the black flames still remain in this world."

Arion said.

"That's why I might be treating you harshly."

'He wasn't treating me harshly.'

Ar muttered inwardly.

But Ar had some sense.

He smiled a cat-like smile at Arion's gentle patting.

He thought that if he said something unnecessary, Arion might stop petting him.

Without knowing Ar's selfish thoughts, Arion said,

"You will stand on the battlefield in my stead someday. You shouldn't become like me."

"I want to become like Arion-nim!"

Arion shook his head at Ar's words.

"If you become a coward like me, you'll just be a burden again."

"Arion-nim isn't a coward! You're not a burden! You are a great hero who saved the world!"

At those words, Arion simply smiled without answering.

"I want you to become a true hero, Ar. And I want you to create a world where children can laugh without worry in the future. You are my successor."

At the word "successor," Ar's eyes widened.

Then he bowed his head and trembled.

"Are you sick?"

Arion asked with a surprised face, and Ar raised his head.

"Nyaaaaaaaak!"

"Waaaaaak?!"

"Successor! Successor! Successorrrr!"

"Eeeek! S-save me!"

Ar, whose eyes were rolling, let out a shriek and lunged, and Arion screamed and ran away from the bathhouse.

***

*Rumble rumble rumble-*!

"An earthquake?"

In the Flov family's territory.

Luke looked puzzled as a small earthquake occurred deep in the mountains.

Juien said to Luke,

"Are you listening to me?"

"Yes."

"So! Why aren't we getting any free time!"

Juien grumbled, roasting meat on a skewer in front of the campfire.

"The seniors said they worked really hard, so maybe that's why," Luke said with a smile. Juien pouted.

"We're working hard enough too."

"Do you still say that after seeing the state of the seniors yesterday?"

Aina, who was next to them, said sharply.

"I didn't ask you."

"Didn't you two make up?"

Luke asked with an awkward smile, and Aina nodded.

"Yes."

"Who made up? And we never fought?"

As Juien's eyes half-closed, Luke tried to eat the meat on his skewer.

*Whoosh*!

At that moment, something quickly snatched the skewer from Luke's hand.

*Scurry*! It was Rea, the first-year representative of Seirun, who put distance between them, tore off the meat from the skewer, and looked at Luke askance.

Seeing Rea like that, Luke smiled brightly and said,

"Rea-yang, would you like some more?"

At those words, Rea scowled and left with a "Tsk!"

"Luke Elda."

"Yes, Habiden-ssi."

"Why are you smiling and saying 'Would you like some more?!' That's a provocation, you know! Don't take such a soft stance as the first-year representative of Rumern!"

"Eek?"

Luke screamed as Habiden shouted with glaring eyes.

Watching that, Shasha, covering her mouth with her fan, narrowed her eyes.

"Seirun's second-year Luna El Lundar was also terrifying. The first-year representative of Seirun is also acting like a thug by provoking Luke."

"Why is that elf so eager to get Luke?"

Betty tilted her head, seemingly not understanding.

It was when.

*Goo-ooo-oong*!

A faint killing intent was felt.

The first-years eating dinner by the campfire in front of the lodging raised their heads.

"This presence is a monster."

Habiden said, tearing off meat from his skewer.

"It seems to be a sudden situation prepared by the training camp."

"I thought it was too peaceful."

Juien snorted.

Students from other schools had similar reactions.

Even if they were first-years, they were hero candidates.

They were too accustomed to such sudden situations.

"Well then, shall we digest our dinner a little?"

Shasha smiled faintly.

***

The summit of the Flov territory's mountain.

Melina's eyes, which had been closed, twitched open.

Melina's face stiffened slightly at the sudden situation.

"…A monster?"