Book 1 Chapter 499

Under the faded gray sky.

Five people sat around a campfire.

It was almost sunset.

The current world was gloomy even during the day, but even more terrible at night.

Even for them, who were accustomed to expeditions, it was not easy to move carelessly at night.

Luna, who had taken off her shoes and socks in front of the campfire, wiggled her toes while warming the soles of her feet.

This was because the blood of demons had gotten all over her shoes during the battle earlier.

Luna, fanning the soles of her feet to dry them quickly, said.

"Kyle, I want to eat meat. Cook me some meat."

Kyle scowled as he watched Luna prepare food at another campfire, tilting his head back.

"Why would an elf crave so much meat?"

Contrary to popular belief, elves do eat meat.

However, it was very rare for them to seek it out like this.

"In my opinion, this elf is a false elf."

Luna scoffed at Dwenno, who sat down by the campfire and spoke.

"Hmph! An elf is an elf, what's a false elf?"

As she spoke, she clapped her feet.

Meanwhile, Lisinas, who had gone out for reconnaissance with Arion, returned.

"There's no sign of demons or monsters in this area."

"We can rest peacefully tonight then."

Kyle let out a small sigh and added logs to the campfire.

As evening fell, the five people sat around the campfire and ate.

"If Erebus hadn't appeared, what kind of lives would we be living?"

Arion asked with a perplexed expression.

Looking at Arion, Kyle said.

"There is no 'if.' Why bother worrying about such pointless things?"

Arion's ears drooped at his blunt remark.

However, no one agreed with his words.

"No, Arion's words are not pointless."

Dwenno said, putting down his spoon.

"Our appearance when Erebus didn't appear. Isn't that our future selves after defeating Erebus?"

"I agree with Dwenno."

"That sounds like a fun imagination?!"

Lisinas nodded with a smile, and Luna's eyes sparkled.

Imagination.

It was one of the great powers for those living in this world heading for ruin.

Imagination of the distant future soon transformed into hope.

Even if it was difficult to achieve… even if it was a vain delusion that was utterly meaningless for now.

If it made them look forward to tomorrow, it was a greatly meaningful act.

"Arion, what kind of life do you think you would be living?"

At Dwenno's question, Arion's eyes widened, and he scratched his head.

"I'm strong. I would probably have created an orphanage in my teacher's footsteps and lived a peaceful farming life."

He spoke of his humble dream with a shy smile.

Even if it seemed humble to the four of them.

For those born in the age of disaster, it was a grand dream beyond imagination.

Ordinary daily life had been taken away long ago, and the disaster generation lived in a world full of sighs.

"It's certainly a good dream."

Lisinas smiled with pleasure.

For the dragon who had the grand dream of saving the world, Arion's dreamed-of daily life was one of the things he most wanted to regain.

"Dwenno, what about you?"

"Isn't it obvious? I would be famous as an incredible artist."

Luna teased Dwenno, who spoke as if it were nothing.

"No. You would definitely have been a wanted criminal for making perverted remarks to royalty from various countries."

Dwenno struck Luna on the head with his thick fist, ignoring her as she laughed hysterically.

Ignoring Luna, who was holding her head and tearing up, Dwenno looked at Lisinas.

"What about you?"

"I…"

Lisinas rested his chin on his hand and smiled.

"Wouldn't I have been quietly protecting the world's order in the shadows?"

Lisinas was a black dragon.

One who protects the world's order in the shadows.

However, no one agreed with Lisinas's words.

"The light you possess cannot be hidden if you try."

"Yeah. Lisinas would have surely done great things even if Erebus hadn't appeared!"

"You would have been famous."

Dwenno, Arion, and Luna successively denied Lisinas's words.

It was unimaginable that Lisinas, the savior of the world and a brilliant light, would live in the shadows.

Lisinas scratched his cheek at his companions' words.

"Ahem! Then it's my turn!"

Luna puffed out her chest.

"I would undoubtedly be a great archmage in history, even more famous than I am now. I would have been able to dedicate myself solely to magic research! Surely all mages would have knelt before me and paid homage?"

Arion clapped dazedly at Luna's smug expression, and Lisinas burst into laughter.

Dwenno shook his head.

However, he did not deny her words.

It was plausible for Luna.

"What about Kyle?"

Luna asked, her eyes sparkling.

"He'd probably be working as a mercenary somewhere."

Lisinas and Dwenno smiled wryly at Kyle's indifferent reply.

"Kyle also seems like he would have been doing something great?"

Arion tilted his head.

However, Kyle chuckled.

"Not at all."

He replied and then focused on his meal.

After that, the five of them talked about the future after defeating Erebus.

The grand dreams they each wanted to achieve.

Things they wanted to do when an era of peace arrived.

They talked endlessly.

To forget the despair before their eyes and look towards the distant future.

Kyle also occasionally interjected with criticisms or affirmations, enjoying the conversation.

However, he never spoke about what he himself wanted to do in the future.

"Kyle, you know."

After the meal.

Luna, who was in charge of dishes that day, asked Lisinas, who was in the same team, while washing the dishes.

"What kind of dream is he living with?"

Lisinas paused at Luna's question.

"Who knows."

Clink.

Lisinas smiled wryly while washing a spoon.

"Perhaps he doesn't have one?"

"What?"

Luna's eyes widened.

The five heroes had gathered by choice.

They were five individuals with different races, ages, ideologies, beliefs, and principles.

If it weren't for the special circumstances of the age of disaster, they probably would never have moved together like this.

It had been half a year since the five of them had gathered.

They still didn't know much about each other.

Even so, Luna knew that these five heroes shared a strong bond.

It was the desire to move towards the future.

It also meant that they had a future they wanted to see.

Luna thought that even though Kyle hadn't spoken about it, he definitely had a future he was envisioning.

Therefore, Lisinas's answer was unexpected.

"Kyle is different from us."

"Different how?"

"You and Arion and Dwenno willingly participated in my expedition. But Kyle didn't."

"I heard he was quite rebellious at first, right?"

"Yes."

"If it was difficult to persuade him, couldn't you have just approached me, the guardian of the heavens, or Dwenno first?"

"I thought about that too… but the more I chased after Kyle, the more convinced I became."

Click-

Lisinas spoke, looking at his reflection in the spoon.

"The first step is Kyle."

"Because of Kyle's mana properties?"

"No."

Lisinas shook his head calmly.

"Among us, from the moment the age of disaster began until now. Kyle is probably the only one who has consistently fought on the front lines."

The surviving hero.

This was not a title earned simply by being the only one left while all his comrades died.

Kyle had always fought as a mercenary on the front lines.

As if that was his place.

He always stood on the front lines against Tartarus.

What that meant was simple.

Having lost countless comrades.

Having watched those who fought on the same battlefield die.

It meant having witnessed continuous defeat with his own eyes.

It was clearly different from Lisinas, who waited for the time to save the world.

Luna, who fought to protect her homeland.

Arion, who grew stronger under his teacher's wing.

Dwenno, who fought while wandering the world.

"Kyle is probably the only one who watched the world's destruction unfold in real-time."

Everyone else would have died or been broken and fled.

But the surviving hero was different.

No one would point a finger if he passed it on to someone else.

No one would laugh or blame him even if he ran away.

"But for some reason, as if it were his place, Kyle was on the front lines."

Lisinas recalled Kyle's back.

"Seeing Kyle fight, I understood. Ah, if this person gives up, the world will truly end."

When Lisinas reached out to save the world, Kyle scoffed at him.

Saying it was a lie.

That the world was beyond saving.

'It was indeed a lie. The probability of this world being saved is close to zero. But…'

Lisinas recalled Kyle at Guardsron.

Ironically, Kyle's back as he fought on the front lines affirmed Lisinas's lie.

"Kyle was cool at that time."

He smiled slightly, his cheeks blushing.

A fresh emotion, unlike the usual Lisinas.

Luna, blinking at Lisinas, said.

"Are you feeling unwell? Your face is red."

"What?"

Lisinas looked flustered, then quickly regained his composure.

And fearing his emotions might have been discovered, he checked Luna's expression.

But Luna was genuinely worried.

'Thank goodness, she's an idiot.'

To quote Kyle, Luna was a magic idiot who knew nothing but magic.

"In any case, he's experienced so many hardships, perhaps Kyle's heart has faded."

"Huh?"

"It must be hard for him to even think of a path he wants to take. That's why he's still searching. For what he wants to do."

The flames of disaster must have taken more than just dead comrades or the world from the surviving hero.

The future must have been burned away, leaving only ashes.

"It's like this damned sky."

The faded gray sky.

"Hmph! I can't stand gloomy things."

Luna, who had finished washing dishes, scoffed and jumped up from her seat.

"What are you going to do?"

"You said Kyle is looking for what he wants to do, right? Then I'll let him join my grand dream."

Luna said with a triumphant smile.

"Since he's a mage, he'll be completely captivated when he hears my grand plan!"

Luna, with confidence that seemed to come from nowhere, ran towards Kyle.

Lisinas smiled, watching her back.

'Not bad.'

He too was a mage, after all.

Luna's dream sparked his interest.

'Perhaps I'll join in after the world is saved?'

***

"Kyle!"

A little distance from the camp.

Kyle, sitting alone on a rock, glanced at Luna, who was smiling brightly beside him.

"I've been thinking about it."

"About what?"

"If there's nothing to do after saving the world, how about we create a magic school together?"

"What?"

"I'll be the principal, and you'll be the vice-principal. We'll contribute to the advancement of magic together, you and I? What do you think? Good idea, right?"

Kyle replied indifferently to Luna, who made a sudden proposal with sparkling eyes.

"I'm good. It's bothersome."

Luna pouted at his words.

"Do you really have nothing you want to do?"

"No."

Seeing Kyle's curt reply, Luna plopped down next to him.

"I don't understand. You're so versatile. It seems like you can become anything you want."

All-class abilities.

In Luna's eyes, it was a talent that allowed one to become whatever they desired.

"It's a waste."

Kyle chuckled at Luna's mumbling.

"Indeed it is."

"Still, you've kept fighting, haven't you? And you'll keep fighting."

"Yes."

"Why?"

Luna asked with a puzzled expression.

If you have nothing you want to do, what meaning does the future hold?

"You're persistent today."

"It's because my curiosity has been piqued. You know, mages can't resist their curiosity."

Seeing Luna smile, Kyle said.

"I don't have anything I want to do or anyone I want to be. But I have a future I want to see."

"What is it?"

"I want to see your future."

Kyle said with a faint smile.

Luna's eyes widened slightly.

"If we defeat that damned primordial evil, you'll undoubtedly become the greatest archmage in history."

"Ah."

Seeing Kyle affirm her dream, Luna let out an involuntary gasp.

"If that happens, I'll reveal just how cranky you are."

Kyle chuckled, finding the thought amusing.

Usually, Luna would have punched him immediately, but she was captivated by the smile that flashed in her mind moments ago.

Even though he had nothing he wanted to do, the way he affirmed her dream captured her heart.

At some point, her heart started to pound.

Consequently, her ears perked up.

When she realized her face was red, she quickly turned her head away.

Though it was an emotion she had never experienced before, Luna knew what the situation was.

'This is bad. I can't look at his face.'

Luna realized.

She had fallen for this rebellious human.

She composed herself and glanced at Kyle.

Kyle still had an indifferent expression.

He was a person who could no longer dream, who refused to give up.

Seeing the human wandering in search of a place to go, Luna cleared her throat.

"I will be your future."

"What?"

"If you can't draw a future, I will be your unchanging dream."

Luna said coyly, her face blushing.

"So that your life can continue into mine."

Luna felt her face heat up to her neck.

"Ha, how elegant. Luna, you said you disliked high elves, but you mimic their graceful speech quite well."

"Eek?!"

Luna shrieked at Dwenno's voice from behind.

"W-when did you get here?"

"I've been here for a while."

Dwenno smiled a sly, unpleasant grin.

Luna’s mouth gaped.

'By the way, proposing so soon after confirming her feelings. Luna is definitely direct.'

Luna's words just now were a courtship between high elves.

Even if he didn't know that, Kyle would have sensed something from Luna's demeanor.

'Lisinas must be in an awkward position.'

Dwenno said as he stroked his chin.

"Why are you suddenly imitating a high elf? Have you been drinking?"

"What?"

Kyle said indifferently.

"You… don't know what I mean?"

"What do you mean?"

Thwack-!

Luna punched Kyle squarely in the face and stomped away, breathing heavily.

"This…"

As Kyle covered his face and tried to retaliate against Luna.

"Kyle, I have to say this one thing."

"What is it?"

"You are definitely an idiot."

***

Recalling a long time ago, Luna stroked her cheek.

'I vowed back then. I'll make that bastard like me first.'

Luna wore a sullen expression.

Of course, her plan had failed when she confessed her feelings first in the world of heroes. However, her desire to color Kyle's ash-filled heart with various colors remained.

'Is this perhaps my lingering attachment?'

She had such a thought, but Luna quickly shook her head, watching Kyle walk and talk with Eiran and Chen Xia.

'That's not it.'

She had said she would be Kyle's future.

She had boasted that she would let him ride on her dream.

The moment she entrusted everything to Kyle. This feeling did not remain as lingering attachment.

'By the way… I miss it.'

Luna smiled, watching Kyle talk with her disciple's descendants.

In that image, she remembered her disciple.

'I miss Bercheia.'

Luna, who had been smiling faintly, perked up her ears.

'Bercheia?'

Her disciple, whom she left behind, kept lingering in her mind.

"Ah."

Luna's eyes widened.

"Ah!"

Leo turned around at Luna's scream.

"Why?"

Luna shouted at Kyle, who asked with a puzzled expression.

"I understand! It's Bercheia!"