Book 1 Chapter 537

537.

"Will it be okay?"

Eiran asked with a worried face.

At her words, Lunia covered her face and said,

"What could possibly happen?"

"But… if Sir Leo and Sir Berkhia were to clash."

"Things are tangled, but I don't think this situation is all bad."

When Berkhia first said he would scold Leo, she was flustered by the sudden situation.

However, looking at it calmly, Leo and Berkhia meeting is an ideal situation.

"Ms. Lunia is right. Our goal was to get Leo and Sir Berkhia to meet."

Chen Sia also nodded.

"Right. And… I wonder if we should really be worried about Leo when those two meet."

Lunia made a slightly reluctant expression.

"Indeed."

Chen Sia also nodded in agreement.

Berkhia said he would scold Leo.

But is that even possible?

It's not just because Leo is Berkhia's master that she's worried.

"Because Leo surely won't leave Sir Berkhia alone."

Lunia knows too.

How Berkhia feels about Kyle.

The young Berkhia she met in Dwenno's world clearly regarded Kyle, the Hero of Beginnings, as a father.

Leo's feelings towards Berkhia probably weren't much different.

He might have acted as if Berkhia was insolent.

Or rebellious.

As if he was displeased with his disciple.

But Leo trusted Berkhia more than anyone.

That's why Leo's face was dark throughout his pursuit of Berkhia.

And.

'What will you do when you meet Sir Berkhia?'

'What do you mean, I'll beat him up.'

When Lunia cautiously asked, Leo replied calmly.

'Shouldn't we be worrying about Sir Berkhia instead?'

Lunia sighed.

At that moment, Eiran, who had been standing quietly, looked around the room where Berkhia had been staying.

And he muttered.

"For some reason, they're alike."

"Huh? What is?"

At the sudden remark, Lunia asked with a puzzled expression.

"This place, the atmosphere of Sir Leo's old house that we saw in Sir Dwenno's world… isn't it similar?"

At his words, Lunia looked around.

And she nodded.

"It certainly is similar."

Overall, it had a bleak feeling, devoid of any signs of daily life.

Only necessary items were present, and everything else was neatly organized.

It was like the home of someone who would never return.

Watching that scene, Lunia sat crouched on a dining chair with her legs together, gazing at the house interior.

Driana's words came to mind, recalled from when she saw Kyle's home interior.

'Perhaps he didn't attach his heart to this space.'

A desolate scene, as if the homeowner would never return.

At the time, she thought it was just the solemn mindset of a great hero.

But now, she couldn't imagine what Leo's thoughts were.

Lunia subtly turned her head and looked at the table filled with empty plates.

It was the only place in the house where warmth could be felt.

"Perhaps the reason Sir Berkhia made such a mess of the house while being scolded was… because he wanted to create a reason for Leo to return?"

"Ah…"

Eiran exclaimed, recalling Berkhia making a huge mess of the house.

Chen Sia, who had been listening to their conversation, sighed deeply and said while clearing the dishes.

"Let's clean up first."

"Yeah, okay."

"Let's divide the tasks."

Just as the three of them were about to clear the mountain of stacked dishes.

Woong-!

"Huh?"

Chen Sia's eyes widened at the resonating sound coming from his chest.

He put down the dishes and took out the object making the resonating sound.

"Ah?"

Chen Sia's eyes widened as he saw Bihal's dagger emitting the resonating sound.

***

'Something's happened.'

Even though it was nearing dawn, there was no sign of Lunia and Eiran returning.

Seeing that, Leo realized something had happened and let out a deep sigh.

'Things are getting bigger.'

It's not that he doesn't trust Lunia, Eiran, and Chen Sia.

The three were the hero candidates he had chosen.

He had faith that they would overcome any trials that came their way.

'But the situation is serious right now.'

Leo, who was perched on the windowsill, looked out the window.

'Berkhia is definitely in this city. And this city is twisted.'

Even amidst the snowstorm, the people on the streets were blooming with smiles.

On this cold land, all kinds of loftiness seemed to be trembling.

But their eyes were twitching with desire.

These were not the eyes of elves.

Elves are inherently a noble race.

No matter how terrible her personality, Luna was always noble on the battlefield.

Not only that.

When he put everything on the line, Leo had never seen a race as noble as the elves.

'But not all elves are noble.'

Elves are noble because they are not ashamed to prove their own worth.

But these people here are different.

They consider themselves noble, but what sustains them is only their elven bloodline and star magic.

They might consider that special, but from Leo's perspective, it is not.

'This city is strange.'

Its appearance might be splendid, but Leo could see it.

The deep darkness behind this city.

He couldn't pinpoint exactly what it was, but he could feel a stench so foul it would make his nose rot off.

That must be why Berkhia is in this city.

But the city is surprisingly peaceful.

The prevailing mindset in this city must be the kind Berkhia detests the most.

It wouldn't be strange if Berkhia, a vengeful undead burning with hatred, turned this city into a sea of fire right now.

'Should I call it fortunate?'

Leo sighed deeply.

He didn't think it was fortunate specifically because he was worried about this city.

'Hatred consumes oneself.'

The endlessly burning hatred ultimately devours oneself.

Berkhia, screaming and struggling, would eventually lose himself.

It should be called fortunate.

That he died before that happened in life.

Otherwise, Berkhia would literally have become disaster itself.

But now that he's a dead revenant?

'He'll become increasingly irreversible.'

That's why Leo felt relieved.

Because the current Berkhia hadn't crossed the line.

He wasn't worried about the residents living on this land.

No, rather, if this land of purists had joined hands with Tartarus.

Leo would not hesitate to burn down this Elden.

And erase its traces from this earth.

'Because I am not Lysianas.'

Leo knew.

Not just Leo.

Lysianas, Luna, Arion, Dwenno.

All those who risked their lives for that era knew that the saved world was not such an ideal world.

Yet, they did not hesitate to sacrifice their lives.

Because they knew it wasn't just dark and twisted.

And one more thing.

'Because everyone followed Lysianas's will.'

The King of Wisdom.

A title bestowed upon her by the gods in praise.

'The gods didn't just call Lysianas a king because she was wise and sagacious.'

Lysianas was unique in 5000 years of history.

The one who received the title of King in the Hero Record.

The one called King by the gods.

And to the gods, the title of King is more special than anything.

The residents of the earth call and follow kings who possess vast territories and people living on that land.

But the king that the gods speak of transcends that concept.

'Because it literally means the King of the World, that is, its master.'

Later generations think Lysianas was called the King of Wisdom because she was the wisest in history, but that's not it.

The King of Wisdom meant the wise master of the world acknowledged by the gods.

'He's probably the only one. The one called King by the gods.'

The reason the gods evaluated Lysianas so highly is extremely simple.

'Because she carried everything.'

It didn't just end with launching the prelude to the counterattack that would defeat Erebus.

She solely carried the world and advanced towards the light.

Those who committed evil.

Those who committed sins.

Even those who betrayed the world.

Lysianas forgave and accepted them.

She gave them a chance.

As a Black Dragon, he had the duty to punish evildoers, but Lysianas accepted them.

Of course, it was Leo who judged those who squandered that chance.

Leo said.

He could not tolerate traitors.

But Lysianas shook her head.

That too was part of the world they were to save.

And it was by bringing all of that together that salvation was achieved.

The benevolent, noble, and most radiant master of the world.

'That's why I respect you, Lysianas. And that's why I can't be like you even more.'

Leo's eyes grew cold.

If it were Lysianas, she could have united countless forces on earth.

But regrettably, Leo was not Lysianas.

He would cut out rotten flesh with his own hands.

Efficiently.

'Just as I did 5000 years ago.'

That's why Leo knew why Berkhia was leaving this city alone right now.

'I didn't teach him everything. But…'

Ultimately, what Berkhia saw and learned was from him.

Berkhia knew.

What Kyle… and Bihal did.

In the darkness.

Berkhia tried to follow whenever Leo and Bihal went into the darkness.

But Leo and Bihal always pushed Berkhia away.

Saying, "This is not where you should be."

He couldn't set foot there, but Berkhia surely saw.

How Leo and Bihal moved.

'He's discerning.'

Those worthy of life.

The current Berkhia is certainly a monster.

But not a monster that has lost its reason.

That's why Leo's heart was heavy.

Berkhia would increasingly lose his line.

At that very moment.

Creak-!

The door opened.

Leo's eyes twitched.

His extrasensory perception was still active.

He hadn't sensed a presence.

That meant.

Click-

Berkhia, who had opened the door and entered, closed it.

And stared at Leo with lifeless eyes.

At that gaze, Leo descended from the windowsill.

Leo's and Berkhia's eyes intertwined in the air.

Leo squeezed his eyes shut.

A reunion after 5000 years.

But experientially, it wouldn't feel like that much time.

For Leo, it was a reunion after a dozen or so years.

For Berkhia, it would be a reunion after decades.

Even so, the Berkhia before him was not the Berkhia Leo knew.

There was no life in his eyes.

That wasn't because he was undead.

Berkhia's eyes, which had never lost their light, had become dry.

The lightless eyes squeezed Leo's heart.

He already knew Berkhia was undead.

He had known he would look like this for a long time.

But…

Seeing it directly felt different.

Leo looked up at the ceiling.

'Damn world.'

He knew.

That it was a dirty world.

Knowing that, he saved the world.

Therefore, there was no regret or resentment.

Even if it was someone else's conviction.

He followed it because that conviction had value.

But at this moment.

He regretted it.

Saving the world.

He resented.

At that moment, his own weak self who had been satisfied alone and closed his eyes.

Leo's red eyes turned towards Berkhia.

Berkhia, who was staring intently into those eyes, muttered.

"Those are incredibly insolent eyes."

Very regrettable eyes.

Eyes filled with profound sorrow.

Eyes that seemed to understand everything.

For an instant, Berkhia's face twisted.

He felt an instinctive repulsion towards that gaze, which seemed to pierce through his entire being.

'It's gone now.'

The kind of person who could look at him with such eyes.

So.

"Don't look at me with those eyes."