Book 1 Chapter 472
472.
Chirp- Chirp-
The birds announced the break of dawn.
“Ugh.”
Lill groaned painfully in her blanket and tossed and turned.
Her head throbbed with a terrible hangover.
“Water…”
“Here you go.”
After raising her upper body, Lill muttered, clutching her throbbing head, and someone next to her handed her water.
“Ah, thank you, Leo.”
Lill smiled weakly and gulped- gulped- down the water.
“Puh-hee-buh?! Kehek?! Cough! Cough!”
Then she choked and began to cough maniacally.
“Why, why why why why why why is Leo here?!”
Seeing Lill ask frantically with a panicked face, Leo took a sip of water from his own glass and replied,
“This is my room. Senior Lill got completely drunk yesterday and ended up sleeping here instead of going back to her room.”
At his words, Lill fell into thought, then covered her face with one hand.
“I made a spectacle of myself. I’m sorry, Leo.”
Lill, whose ears were red, an unusual sight, took a deep breath, got off the bed, and said,
“Leo, if something like this happens again, please force me out of the room.”
“I didn’t harbor any strange intentions.”
“I know you’re not the kind of person to do such a thing, Leo. My point is that it would be troublesome if unnecessary rumors spread.”
“It’s true that Senior could get into trouble in many ways.”
“You’d be in more trouble than I would, Leo.”
Lill sighed softly and said,
“Leo has been the focus of the world’s attention since last year. Now he’s even a hero. Many people respect and admire Leo. But conversely, there must be countless people who envy and are jealous of him.”
“That’s true.”
“Yes. Such people will try to find fault with Leo in any way they can. A messy relationship with women would be perfect for them to pick apart.”
Lill sighed.
“Of course, if you look at history, there are many philandering heroes. Many heroes also violate ethical principles. Just looking at the Justice Guild, it’s not a proper organization. People know that fact. That no one is perfect.”
Shwaak-
Lill walked to the window and opened the curtains.
The morning sun poured in.
Bathed in the sunlight, Lill pleasantly squinted, then turned around.
“But even so, people want an ideal hero. In people’s minds right now, Leo is that hero.”
“I don’t particularly care about what others think, so you don’t have to worry.”
“Hmm. Leo’s mental strength is certainly incredible. But it’s also my personal wish for Leo to remain an impeccable hero.”
“Why?”
“Because I like Leo.”
With her back to the pouring sunlight, Lill smiled faintly.
“I’ve admired you ever since I first saw you. Even though you’re my junior, I thought you were amazing. I’ve been a fan since the first time I saw you.”
“That’s an honor.”
“In that sense, I’ll ask you again, seriously.”
Lill approached Leo and knelt before him.
“I want to be your disciple, please accept me, Leo.”
Lill said with a solemn face.
“…”
‘I’ll learn well. Please accept me as your disciple.’
The young elf girl, her eyes sparkling with hope for an unseen future, came to mind.
‘Please take me as your disciple.’
The human girl with eyes burning with hatred for the present before her also came to mind.
The two disciples, born in the darkest era, pursued vastly different things.
But.
‘What will you do if you get strong?’
Kyle asked the two disciples, as if annoyed.
‘Because I want to contribute to this world, even just a little.’
‘I want to dedicate myself to contributing to the world.’
‘Their personalities are completely different from Berchiana and Vihar, though.’
“I want to be someone who can contribute to the world.”
‘Why are their eyes so similar?’
An unwavering gaze.
A heart that prioritized the world over themselves.
Feeling that she somehow resembled Lisinas, Leo opened his mouth.
“I will be merciless.”
“That’s what I hoped for!”
“I’ll speak informally too.”
“That’s fine! Originally, Leo… no, Master felt like an older brother.”
Lill, who had been smiling brightly, pondered for a moment, then threw out an odd question.
“Now that I think about it, wouldn’t it be strange if I, a senior, called my junior Master in front of others?”
“Just do as you usually do. While we’re at it, why don’t you speak informally when others are watching?”
“I can’t do that. Regardless of age, I cannot casually use honorifics for superiors.”
Lill shook her head emphatically.
Being from a military family, she was extremely stubborn about hierarchy.
“Hmm. If ‘Master’ is too much, should I call you ‘Oppa’ (older brother)?”
“Wouldn’t people look at you even stranger?”
“They would, wouldn’t they?”
Lill pondered, then blurted out,
“Then… Hyung (older brother)?”
‘Why are all those who want to be my disciples not normal in their way of thinking?’
Leo seriously wondered.
If Luna had been there, she probably would have replied, ‘Because you’re not normal,’ but Luna wasn’t there.
***
That morning.
Leo and Lill changed into their school uniforms and headed to the audience chamber to meet the King.
The King had sent word that he wished to postpone the audience until evening, citing the after-effects of the banquet.
Leo felt absurd at the news of postponing it to evening, not just afternoon, but at the same time, he understood.
‘If he’s the kind of guy who would empty the national treasury to hold a massive banquet when the country is in crisis, he would certainly do this.’
“If you have no intention of seeing me now, I will assume there is no need for help and return to Lumerne. Whether you perish or not, handle it yourselves.”
At those words, the alarmed ministers moved frantically and managed to arrange an audience for the morning.
“Your Majesty, Duke Leo Flov and Duke Lill Luce have arrived.”
“Let them in.”
Creak-
The door opened.
With that, Leo and Lill entered the council chamber where state affairs were being discussed.
What caught their eyes most was, as expected, King Cannell, seated at the highest position.
He looked at Leo and Lill with eyes clouded by alcohol, expressing dissatisfaction.
“Welcome, Duke Flov, Duke Luce. But before the fatigue from the banquet has even subsided… to seek me so urgently. Is there some pressing matter?”
It was a demeanor utterly unbecoming of a king whose country was in crisis.
‘He’s the type of person who thinks it’s natural to be above others.’
Such people existed even during the Age of Calamity.
People who did nothing but were born into good families and took their privileges for granted.
Of course, their ends were all equally miserable.
‘During the Age of Peace, they just watched silently.’
When the world is peaceful, the incidental advantages of lineage can protect them.
But in a world without law and order, lineage has no value.
Yet, their greed to enjoy more than others could not be ended.
That’s why countless royals and nobles were massacred during the Age of Calamity.
‘Well, afterwards, capable scumbags seized much of the power.’
When Lisinas ruled Gardthron, she managed the city strictly based on merit.
‘Lisinas not only had administrative abilities, but her insight into people was chilling.’
In fact, Lisinas’s abilities greatly contributed to being able to completely prevent the invasion of Tartarus, not just the subjugation of Erebus.
Leo narrowed his eyes and watched.
Lill seemed on the verge of bursting out and saying something, but she held back because of Leo.
Leo opened his mouth.
“Is there a reason why the Justice Guild is trying to destroy the Cannell Kingdom?”
“I don’t know that either. Why the Justice Guild, which preaches justice, would help Pettiman, a minor nation with no lineage, instead of our Cannell, which boasts history and tradition.”
He sneered.
“But there must be a reason, right?”
“Hmph. Seeing as those rogues have been digging up heroes’ tombs lately, they must covet the Cannell Kingdom’s heritage.”
“Is there anything in Cannell that the Justice Guild would covet? If so, what does that have to do with digging up heroes’ tombs?”
At Leo’s question, King Cannell flinched, then clutched his head.
“Ugh- My head aches too much. Steward!”
“Yes, Your Majesty!”
The attendant behind him bowed his head.
“My head aches so much from drinking!”
“Yes. I will soon prepare food and drinks good for hangovers.”
‘He has no intention of telling me.’
Leo narrowed his eyes.
‘Were those who were grave-robbing the heroes’ tombs the Justice Guild?’
The reason was unknown.
But according to King Cannell’s words, it was clear that the Justice Guild was grave-robbing the heroes’ tombs in this country.
‘Could it be related to that Necromancer King?’
He had already figured out that the Justice Guild was not a sensible organization.
And the one who could best exploit such an organization was none other than the Necromancer King.
“Anyway, what’s important now is that the Justice Guild is interfering in the war without reason and threatening our kingdom. I am formally requesting mediation from Lumerne.”
Leo curled up the corner of his mouth, watching King Cannell feign ignorance.
After a brief further conversation, Leo, who had come out of the audience chamber, clenched his left fingers.
Crack-
The sound of bones echoed eerily from his left hand.
‘Should I make him talk?’
It was no trouble to make a powerless king speak.
Vihar had torn out and kept the pages detailing Kyle’s actions as a shadow after the Hero Record was created.
Kyle’s actions as a shadow included records of even cruel tortures.
So Vihar tore out and kept a portion of Kyle’s Hero Record.
Because she didn’t want her master to be portrayed negatively to later generations.
Leo walked down the corridor, contemplating a brutal thought.
Next to him, Lill was also lost in thought.
“It seems like he’s hiding something. What could it be?”
“May I explain that part to you two?”
At the voice from behind, Leo and Lill turned their heads.
There stood a boy who looked to be in his late teens.
His eyes were full of intelligence.
But a shadow hung over his face.
“Who are you?”
As Lill tilted her head and asked, he introduced himself.
“My name is Jeremin Cannell. I am the crown prince of this country.”
Jeremin, who had greeted them politely, spoke seriously.
“I have something important to discuss with you two. Would you spare me some time?”
The place Jeremin led the two to was outside the royal palace.
They traveled by carriage.
Meanwhile, Lill subtly pulled back the curtain and looked at the scenery outside.
The capital’s people, seeing the royal emblem, spotted the carriage and hurriedly bowed their heads.
But their eyes were not kind.
The attire of the capital’s people was also all equally shabby.
“It seems the country is in a lot of trouble.”
At Lill’s words, Jeremin sighed deeply.
“There’s nothing to be done. It’s hard to say this, but… my father and the prime ministers’ tyranny is worsening day by day.”
A look of distress settled on Jeremin’s face.
“They neglect state affairs and indulge in luxury. When the Pettiman Kingdom launched a full-scale invasion, they were too anxious to hold a banquet… but as soon as they heard about you two yesterday, it was as if they were releasing all the restraint they had held until now…”
Jeremin’s face twisted.
He truly seemed to hate his royal father and the prime ministers.
“So, what are you going to explain?”
At Leo’s question, Jeremin replied.
“The reason why the Justice Guild is targeting our kingdom. And it’s something that would even tempt Lumerne.”
“What is it?”
“What the Justice Guild is after is the Tomb of the Knight of the Underworld. They are targeting it after hearing that it lies dormant somewhere in our kingdom.”
“The Tomb of the Knight of the Underworld? Isn’t that something only found in legends?”
Lill tilted her head.
Jeremin shook his head in response.
“No. It’s a secret passed down through generations of the royal family, so it’s certain. Though the exact location is unknown.”
At Jeremin’s words, Leo fell into thought.
‘The Knight of the Underworld.’
Leo also knew of this hero.
And he had heard of the countless heroic artifacts he was said to have left behind.
‘Did the Knight of the Underworld take not only the artifacts of those who followed him, but also those of the ones he defeated?’
The Knight of the Underworld also had countless other epithets.
The most prominent one was Hero Emperor.
Another famous epithet was…
‘The Conqueror.’
A name earned by expanding countless lands and defeating countless heroes.
It was said that all the artifacts used by those heroes were buried in his tomb.
Finding them would certainly be of immense help to Lumerne.
‘It’s not just Lumerne. Other races too.’
For the heroes who fell at the hand of the Knight of the Underworld were not only humans.
“Even if it’s a secret passed down through the royal family, if the exact location is unknown, is it really possible? Aren’t such legends common in any royal family?”
As Lill tilted her head, Jeremin smiled.
“Don’t worry about that. The key to opening the tomb’s treasury has definitely been passed down through our royal family.”
“Hmm.”
At Jeremin’s words, Lill crossed her arms and fell into thought.
Meanwhile, the carriage left the capital and stopped in front of a dilapidated, massive training ground on the outskirts.
“Where is this?”
“The Tomb of the Vanquished.”
“The Tomb of the Vanquished?”
As Lill’s eyes widened, Jeremin gave a bitter smile.
“Yes. It’s said to be the place where the bodies of heroes defeated by the Knight of the Underworld long ago were abandoned. Well, it’s just a legend, of course.”
“Why did you bring us here?”
As Leo asked, stepping out of the carriage, Jeremin said,
“To make a deal. Please follow me for now.”
Jeremin led the way.
Lill followed behind him.
Just as Leo, who had surveyed the surroundings, was about to take a step.
[Listen closely, Kyle.]
His steps abruptly stopped at the too-familiar voice from behind.
[The voices of the spirits.]
So surprised, he involuntarily turned around.
“Lisinas?”
Shwaaaah-
There was no answer to Leo’s call.
Only an empty landscape was reflected in his eyes.