Book 1 Chapter 474
474.
The refugee city of Reyssar was one of the cities that fared relatively well during the Era of Catastrophe.
Its scale was the largest among the cities that managed to survive at the time, and its circumstances were also better compared to other cities.
‘It was a city abundant in resources. Crucially, it had the Guardian of the Azure Sky.’
Agon, the Guardian of the Azure Sky, Arion’s master.
Before great heroes like Risinas and Kyle rose to prominence.
He was a man known as the hope of the world.
Agon liked children.
That’s why he took in orphans in Reyssar.
At least during the time when Agon, the Guardian of the Azure Sky, was alive, children with nowhere to go in Reyssar could live looking forward to tomorrow.
But after he passed away.
The true tragedy began.
The lord of Reyssar trained and brainwashed the orphans overflowing in the streets.
They were transformed into beings solely for fighting.
And they were deployed in the war against Tartarus.
The training process was simple.
It was just endless competition.
Only children who endured the extreme training were given food.
Trampling and killing opponents was allowed if it meant winning.
Literally a living hell.
They might be able to create powerful warriors.
But it was impossible for truly proper individuals to emerge.
‘Among them were many children with outstanding talent.’
There were certainly children with talent and power that could truly benefit the world.
But the lord of Reyssar used them purely as expendables.
The children driven to the battlefield as expendables died in vain.
Filled with hatred and resentment.
Such things repeated endlessly.
Until Kyle executed the lord of Reyssar.
‘He was colluding.’
And while executing the lord of Reyssar, he discovered who the mastermind behind the plan was.
‘Grand Duke of Dirges, Artkhan.’
The Necromancer King’s confidant.
The reason he bothered to plan such a thing was simple.
‘It was to acquire corpses.’
The specialty of the demon legion led by Necromancer King Hell Kaiser and the necromancers was necromancy.
They were beings who wielded powerful magic using corpses.
That’s why they displayed the most terrifying power in the middle of a battlefield.
The experience of a fallen comrade resurrecting as an undead and attacking them was something one never got used to.
‘Their mere existence lowers morale.’
And the more powerful a necromancer was, the more perfectly they could reproduce the appearance of the living.
‘And corpses filled with resentment and hatred are the ultimate weapon for them.’
High-ranking necromancers could even enhance the abilities of a resurrected corpse beyond its living capabilities.
It was akin to how knights and warriors use aura to enhance their weapons.
Of course, if the living corpse was too strong, its full power could not be revived.
‘And one more thing.’
If corpses imbued with dark emotions like resentment, hatred, despair, loathing, and envy are the best weapons for necromancers, then conversely, corpses possessing nobility cannot be controlled by them.
Even if resurrected as undead, they do not obey control and resist.
In a sense, they are like dulled weapons.
Naturally, it is also difficult to draw out the power of such corpses.
‘When Risinas became light and fought against Erebus and Tartarus, noble heroes were born.’
Drawn by the light and hope presented by Risinas.
Countless heroes were born.
That is why Risinas was special.
She deceived people and lied, saying there was light and hope that didn’t exist.
And Risinas, who ultimately made that a reality, was literally the savior of the world itself.
If the Brave Arion was a symbol of courage.
King Risinas of Wisdom was a symbol of salvation and hope.
‘Well, that’s an ability I could never emulate in my life.’
In any case, Risinas’s existence alone deprived the Necromancer King’s legion of a powerful weapon.
So Grand Duke of Dirges, Artkhan, devised a plan.
To use Reyssar to produce corpses they could use.
That was the reason for the birth of the Orphan Soldiers.
‘The resentment and hatred held by the Orphan Soldiers were immense.’
Although they had to trample on each other to survive.
Nevertheless, the bond among the Orphan Soldiers was strong.
It was useless to die before becoming strong.
Therefore, Artkhan, who spearheaded the plan, brainwashed the Orphan Soldiers to rely on each other.
It was common for them to give their own food to a hungry comrade.
During training, it was not uncommon to see them sacrifice themselves to save a comrade.
For the Orphan Soldiers, each other was the reason for living.
‘The more comrades they lost, the stronger their resentment and hatred became.’
Initially, the spearhead of resentment and hatred was aimed at Tartarus.
‘But the moment they were driven to war as expendables and died, the Orphan Soldiers realized.’
That they had only lived to die.
Seeing the necromancers harvesting them, their resentment and hatred exploded.
‘It was terrible.’
One of Kyle’s disciples.
That was why Vihar ultimately couldn't step into the light, even after the Era of Catastrophe ended.
‘Because he was also an Orphan Soldier.’
Kyle wanted his disciple to live in the light after everything was over.
He told him not to walk the path of darkness he himself had trodden.
Nevertheless, Vihar ultimately chose to remain in the darkness and became a shadow.
‘He probably couldn’t become like Verkia in the end.’
Kyle’s two disciples, born under a grey sky.
Among them, Verkia went towards the light, and Vihar went towards the darkness.
Feeling a bitter taste in his mouth as he recalled Vihar, Leo took his eyes off the Orphan Soldiers.
“Why is Crown Prince Jeremin managing those children? Their aura seems unusual.”
The aura they emitted was extraordinary.
“I forcibly brought these children whom Duke Dotarn was secretly raising.”
“Did he hand them over willingly?”
“No. But I couldn’t bear to watch such a terrible thing happen.”
Leo, looking at Jeremin whose eyes were filled with anger, said.
“How much do you know about these children?”
“I only know that they were raised to be sent to the battlefield.”
“Their existence is a secret even within the country, isn’t it?”
“That’s right. If I had known such atrocities were being committed, I wouldn’t have left them alone.”
Looking at Jeremin, who spoke firmly, Leo gazed at the Orphan Soldiers.
‘Indeed, if that Duke Dotarn knew what kind of children they were, he would never have handed them over to the Crown Prince.’
The Crown Prince and the Duke, both ordinary people, hadn’t noticed.
‘Each of these Orphan Soldiers is stronger than an average knight. They have all already entered the realm of aura. Two or three of them are at a level to be admitted to Lumen.’
In a small kingdom like Canel, they would be a force capable of starting a rebellion.
The northeastern continent was a place where wars never ceased.
As such, the supply of orphans must have been easy.
“How would Your Highness wish for these children to live?”
“It may be difficult, but I wish for them to live a life far from war.”
The Crown Prince showed compassion.
They had lost their parents to war, been captured, and subjected to terrible training.
He genuinely felt sorry for them.
‘At least the Crown Prince seems to be a decent person.’
He was a king incomparable to the debauched king and ministers of this country.
“Are you truly willing to hand over the legacy of the Knight of the Underworld to Lumen?”
“Of course. In fact, it’s obvious that our country wouldn’t be able to properly use it even if we had it. No matter how great a legacy, isn’t it worthless if it can’t be utilized?”
Jeremin crossed his arms and smiled.
“It would be good if Lumen managed our kingdom’s artifacts. Moreover, I must become king to give you the key. Wouldn’t it be a great help to maintain a trading relationship with Hero Leo Flobe until then?”
“You’ve thought that far.”
Jeremin smiled faintly as Lil’s eyes widened.
“Those children don’t even know much about heroes or heroic tales. So I also want to let them meet a true hero.”
Jeremin bowed his head to Leo with a serious expression.
“Please, Leo Flobe. Help these children live normal lives.”
Even for a small kingdom, it’s not easy for a crown prince to bow his head.
Even if it's to someone who has achieved the status of a hero.
Looking at such a Crown Prince, Leo said.
“Understood.”
“Thank you, truly thank you!”
Jeremin smiled brightly.
Looking at him, Leo said.
“Anyway, now that I know of these children’s existence, I can’t just leave them alone.”
***
The Orphan Soldiers waited for Leo and Lil, neatly lined up.
Their gazes were directed at Leo.
There were scars all over their faces.
Their eyes were uniformly sharp.
The Orphan Soldiers observed Leo intently.
‘Their average age is about 13-14.’
They were still very young.
Among them were some who, though barely, were at a level to be admitted to Lumen.
‘The others could probably reach that level depending on what they do in the future. Of course, their disposition wouldn't fit Lumen at all.’
Simply being strong wasn't enough to be admitted to Lumen.
“You want to go to the battlefield?”
In response to Leo's question, the boy at the front replied.
“Yes. Are you the one who will send us to the battlefield?”
Leo chuckled at the boy’s question.
“No.”
At his words, the boy’s eyes twitched.
“Why do you all want to go to the battlefield?”
“To take revenge on those who made us this way!”
“They said the ones who killed our parents are on the battlefield!”
“Because of those bastards, I killed my friends to get here!”
“We’ll kill them all!”
Voices filled with hatred erupted.
Seeing this, Lil raised her hand.
“Alright, calm down, everyone.”
“It’s not for you pampered nobles to meddle in, is it?”
Just then, the girl next to the boy shouted fiercely.
“Wouldn’t it be better for you if we broke the enemies’ necks?”
The girl, whose language was particularly rough, even showed killing intent towards Leo and Lil.
It was then that Lil looked troubled.
At that moment, Leo chuckled.
“Alright, if you want it so badly, I’ll send you.”
“Master!”
Lil called out to Leo in a flustered voice.
Leo brought the startled Lil forward, pushed her towards the Orphan Soldiers, and said.
“Instead, I’ll send you if you can defeat this girl.”
At Leo's words, the Orphan Soldiers' fierce gazes turned to Lil.
Lil looked flustered.
“M-Master. Fight all of a sudden?”
“It’s my first command as your master.”
“Huh?!”
“Subdue these children.”
At Leo's words, Lil nodded.
Lil, with a determined expression, stood before the Orphan Soldiers.
“Come at me.”
At her words, the boy and girl at the front looked at each other and nodded.
The first to step forward was the girl.
Twirling the dagger in her hand, the girl performed a trick and spoke in a chilling voice.
“You’d better be prepared, noble lady.”
Looking at the girl, Lil said.
“Who said to come at me alone?”
“What, to face the two of us by yourself…”
“All of you here, come at me all at once.”
“What?”
All the Orphan Soldiers looked dumbfounded.
Lil said with an expressionless face.
“I will show you how powerless you are.”
***
‘He did tell me to subdue them, but to try and face all of them at once. She seems timid, yet her scale is unexpectedly grand.’
Leo chuckled as he watched Lil, then turned around.
The reason Leo entrusted the Orphan Soldiers to Lil was simple.
‘It’s best for someone a few years older to be the opponent.’
Regardless of outward appearances, Leo had too great a mental age gap with the Orphan Soldiers.
‘It’s better to leave communication to peers. Besides, in some sense, Lil’s values would be completely different from the Orphan Soldiers’.’
Those who know darkness can understand darkness.
But those who have lived in light find it difficult to understand darkness.
‘Children like these are better off confronting and breaking against different ideologies head-on.’
Crucially, Leo had something to do.
Leo’s red eyes gleamed.
‘If there are Orphan Soldiers nurtured in this way in this country, it means the Grand Duke of Dirges, that bastard, is hiding somewhere in this country.’
A chilling killing intent gleamed in Leo’s eyes.
‘Shall I begin the hunt?’