Book 1 Chapter 496

496.

Beneath the gray sky.

The great heroes, who had finished their battle with the Legion Commander, were panting.

"I-I really thought I was going to die this time."

Arion said, his face pale.

"I agree. I never imagined there would be a Legion Commander with such an ability."

Dwenno, who was usually stoic about everything, also put down his battle-ax and muttered with a serious face.

"Still, with this, we've defeated the second formidable foe after Jormungandr. Everyone worked hard."

Licinas took a deep breath and comforted his comrades.

"Where are Kyle and Luna?"

Dwenno asked with a curious face.

"Luna took Kyle, saying they were going to the library in this sector."

"Tsk. The person who needs the most rest was taken away by the person who's in the best shape."

At that, Licinas smiled wryly.

This Legion Commander was literally Kyle's natural enemy.

On the other hand, Luna had strong resistance to the Legion Commander's powers.

'The battle would have been really dangerous if it weren't for Luna.'

Licinas also felt a chill inside.

"But why does Luna always bring so many magic books from the libraries in the liberated cities?"

Arion, the only non-magic user in the party, asked with a puzzled expression.

"To study magic."

"Luna is already the greatest mage in the world. Is there anything more for her to learn?"

Despite Dwenno's explanation, Arion questioned him back, as if he didn't understand.

Licinas looked at Arion and said,

"Mages have this proverb, you know. No matter how great a mage, there's always something to learn from a street fortune teller."

"Ah-ha. So Luna reads other magic books to develop herself further."

"To explain it simply, yes. But even before that, Luna has a dream."

"A dream? What is it?"

Arion tilted his head.

"Luna wants to know all the magic that exists in this world."

"Isn't that too absurd?"

Arion's mouth dropped open.

Even Arion, who knew nothing of magic, knew this.

That countless magic exists in this world.

To know all that magic is an almost impossible feat.

"It is absurd. Because magic is a discipline that explores endless unknowns."

Licinas smiled faintly.

"But for a mage like Luna, learning new magic must be a joy that can't be exchanged for anything."

Whoosh-!

A dry wind blew.

"For Luna, a world full of unknown magic would probably be heaven."

***

"…Is this heaven?"

Luna, who arrived at the second-year magic department library, muttered blankly as she saw the countless magic books laid out before her eyes.

With trembling hands, Luna opened a basic magic book that mages nowadays learn, then covered her eyes with the back of her hand and let out a groan of 'Ugh-!' before staggering.

"I'm so happy I feel like I'm going to die. No. I wouldn't mind dying."

"You're already dead."

Leo tackled her from the side, but Luna ignored him and focused on reading the magic book.

'If it's a spell in a basic magic book, it's probably centered on activation formulas.'

Leo had only seriously encountered the magic of this era after entering Lumerin.

And that's when he first saw something called an activation formula.

No matter how great a mage he was, Leo, who had a level of magical knowledge from 5000 years ago, didn't even properly understand what an activation formula was at the time.

"Wow, in the future, there are even formulas that activate just by memorizing them."

But Luna, after seeing the activation formula, quickly understood its structure in no time.

"I want to try it out?"

"This is the magic department library, so you can use simple magic."

"Alright then. Hoit."

Luna activated a simple spell using the activation formula.

"Amazing."

Luna exclaimed.

A simple fire magic that conjured flames.

Luna immediately created an activation formula on the spot and transformed the fire magic into a fireball.

"Still amazing."

"Hehe. Who do you think I am? It's the great Lady Luna. Lady Luna."

Luna wore a triumphant expression.

She mastered the activation formula just by seeing it once.

Luna, who put away the magic, let out a gasp of 'Ah!'

"Perhaps my lingering regret is not having seen all the infinite possibilities of magic?"

At her words, Leo stroked his chin.

"That could be."

"Haha. Yes. I had a strong desire to explore magic."

"You always looked at new magic books greedily."

"You choose your words so strangely, don't you? Do you think the word 'greedy' suits someone pure and innocent like me?"

"It suits you perfectly."

Luna punched Leo in the side.

Leo, his face contorted in pain, clutched his side and said,

"Anyway, you can look at magic books to your heart's content later, so let's stop here for now."

"I want to read them now?"

As Luna hugged the magic book tightly, Leo clicked his tongue.

"There's someone you need to meet."

"Someone I need to meet?"

At Leo's words, Luna blinked a few times.

***

[Ah-ah.]

The Elf King, who had lived for 5000 years, trembled as he looked at the former covenant-maker before him.

[This… isn't a dream, is it?]

"You've grown so much, Silode. Well, it has been 5000 years."

[Luna!]

Silode flew to Luna, who was smiling through her tears.

Silode, clinging to Luna's hair, trembled violently.

"Yes. You're wonderful. Wonderful."

Luna gently stroked Silode's hair with her fingertip and smiled.

Tears welled up in Luna's eyes.

Watching her, Leo smiled wryly.

'To see Luna and Silode together again in this era.'

Luna was present at Silode's birth and made a covenant from that moment.

Though bound by a covenant, they were like family even before that.

'One of Luna's lingering regrets might be not keeping her promise to Silode.'

Before embarking on her final journey.

Luna had promised Silode.

That she would definitely return.

But in the end, she couldn't keep that promise and closed her eyes.

If that became a lingering regret.

This reunion would surely help Luna.

At the Elf King's abode, the three who had sought to save the world during the Age of Calamity conversed.

"So, who did Berkhia marry?"

"She married an ordinary Elf young man. Surprising, isn't it?"

"An ordinary Elf young man?"

Luna's eyes widened.

It was a story Leo was hearing for the first time too.

"That fellow, didn't she go around saying she'd never marry a man weaker than her?"

"Yes. She definitely did."

Luna also looked surprised.

"He was an ordinary but very innocent and kind young man. He was the kind of person suited for a new era."

Silode recalled the past as if reminiscing.

"He was an Elf who brought comfort when you were with him. Perhaps that's why Berkhia chose Myde."

"That's why she chose him?"

Luna tilted her head.

"Berkhia was very exhausted at the time."

Silode sighed softly.

"Rebuilding the world was not easy. The broken order had to be re-established. The order that Licinas had established in Gadthron had turned into chaos after Licinas disappeared."

If the great heroes who saved the world had lived, perhaps there wouldn't have been major problems even after the world found peace.

They all disappeared during the process of subjugating the last Erebus.

The great heroes were undoubtedly the saviors of this world.

But before that, they were also a deterrent.

Not everyone is righteous.

Some people exhibit goodness, while others harbor distorted aspects.

But in a situation where the world is on the verge of destruction, a distorted nature is a shortcut to ruin.

Licinas did not tolerate such individuals.

'I dealt with those who were active in the shadows.'

[Many of Gadthron's residents also transformed into villains loyal to their desires.]

"I can't believe it. Gadthron was clearly all good."

Luna wore a bewildered expression.

[Thinking about it now, I wonder if everyone suppressed their true natures.]

The great heroes and countless other heroes who sacrificed themselves for the world.

Because they set an example, the world on the brink of destruction was, in a way, a very good and orderly world.

Many people prioritized others over themselves.

"So they hid their true natures because they were afraid of our power?"

At Leo's murmur, Luna fell into thought, then opened her mouth seriously.

"I don't think that's all. Perhaps they just wanted to live a meaningful life because it was a world where it wouldn't be strange if it ended at any moment?"

Luna smiled wryly.

"Whenever there was a crisis in Gadthron, everyone helped each other. The appearance we saw certainly had no falsehoods."

Listening to Luna, Leo recalled the past.

For Leo, who had reincarnated, it felt like a very old memory, but for Luna, it was as vivid as yesterday.

"It's ironic. That people in a world facing destruction would have more benevolent natures."

"That must be why the world was able to avoid destruction."

Luna replied seriously to Leo's words.

"So, she fell in love with a man she met while rebuilding the world and restoring order?"

[Yes.]

"Was she happy?"

Leo asked curtly, and Silode smiled sweetly.

[She looked very happy when she was with Myde. Just like when she was with you two.]

"That's good to hear."

Leo chuckled.

"What? After all that bickering with Berkhia? Why are you suddenly worrying about your disciple after making that outrageous remark about how she'd only mature after suffering with some strange man?"

"What do you think of people?"

"A morally bankrupt person."

Luna smiled brightly and answered without hesitation.

Leo clicked his tongue, looking at Luna.

"I worry about the ones left behind too. Besides…"

"Besides?"

"That fellow, it seems she regarded me like a father."

At the unexpected words, Luna's eyes widened.

"You… like a father?"

"Yes."

"How do you know that?"

"She said it herself? I heard it in the Hero's World."

At that, Luna stared at Leo, then burst into laughter with a 'Pooh-hoop-'.

"It actually suits you."

'It definitely felt like a nagging dad and a teenage daughter.'

Luna, who had been giggling, showed a slightly excited expression.

"Then am I the mother?"

"Mother my foot. You're just as playful, so she probably just thought of you as an older sister."

Luna kicked Leo in the butt.

Of course, Leo dodged it.

As Luna huffed, Silode said with a smile,

"Berkhia thought of you two as parents."

"See! I thought of Berkhia as my daughter too!"

Luna crossed her arms and looked triumphant.

"If you thought of her as your daughter, why didn't you discipline her? You spoiled her so much she became arrogant day by day."

Luna covered her ears and pretended not to hear Leo, who was grumbling.

Leo clicked his tongue at Luna and said to Silode,

"Silode, let's talk for a moment, just the two of us."

[Yes.]

"What secret are you going to talk about?"

"It's about Bihar."

Leo and Silode headed to a corner of the Elf King's abode.

Leo crossed his arms and said,

"You said the world was chaotic after we died, right?"

[Yes.]

"I'll ask you directly. I have an idea, but what kind of life did Bihar live?"

[….]

At Leo's question, Silode closed her eyes.

And she opened her mouth heavily.

[She lived a life of punishing those who caused harm to the world. She lived as if she couldn't tolerate them enjoying life. Wherever she appeared, it was always a bloodbath. So people regarded Bihar as more terrifying than even the demon race.]

***

"I see. Berkhia. She thought of me and Leo as her mother and father?"

The morning of embarking on an expedition.

She recalled the disciple who had visited her.

'Fortunately, she lived happily.'

'I will never tarnish my masters' names. And if there are ever those who try to tarnish my masters' names again, I will never forgive them.'

'We will definitely come back, Berkhia.'

'Still! Even after you return, there will be those who secretly badmouth our masters, won't there? I will absolutely, absolutely, absolutely never forgive such people!'

Berkhia's words came to mind.

'It's a pity. I wish I had known earlier.'

Luna's eyes blurred.

'I really wanted to see Berkhia being happy.'

Even though she knew Berkhia lived happily, she wasn't satisfied.

She felt a greater sense of regret, as if feeling an even deeper thirst.

Feeling regret that she hadn't seen Berkhia's happy moments, Luna said,

'By the way, it's really good.'

The world they saved was truly beautiful.

Magic had progressed.

Though she had only lived for a few days, it was truly a happy world.

'This is a big problem.'

Luna looked at Leo.

'I think I'm going to have lingering regrets.'