Book 1 Chapter 544

544.

From the most distant memories, the sky was灰-colored.

And what was darker and gloomier than that was the surrounding environment.

Death always accompanied Bihar.

Day by day, they desperately prolonged their lives.

But the more they continued their lives, the more they couldn't shake off the feeling of sinking deeper into a quagmire.

One day, while living in such a deep and dark world.

A man with hair and eyes the same color as the sky, and a beautiful woman with deep, dark hair and eyes appeared before Bihar.

The man, Kyle, looked down at Bihar, who was sitting down and looking up at him, and said.

"You're similar to me in how you manage to survive."

At his words, Lisinas sighed softly and knelt before Bihar.

"What do you want to do from now on?"

"I hope people like me won't have to exist."

Bihar didn't know about the outside world, but she knew that what she had been doing was wrong.

To survive, one must trample on those who try to survive with them.

To survive, one must kill with their own hands those with whom they once laughed.

The only warmth and kindness one can offer to others is to take one's own life.

'That was definitely wrong.'

"I cannot tolerate those who do such things."

Bihar calmly expressed her will.

Lisinas's eyes wavered as she watched Bihar.

The girl, who grew up in a terrible environment, expressed hatred for what had made her this way.

But more than that, she wished that no more victims like herself would appear.

Looking at the girl who cared for others at an immature age, Lisinas instinctively realized.

'This child will live in darkness.'

It was like a black dragon.

Black dragons have lived generation after generation with the mission of protecting the world in darkness.

If the world had not been this way, Lisinas too would have lived such a life.

'It's the black dragon's mission passed down through generations. But now, the one who is taking its place is…'

*Swoosh-*

Lisinas looked at the hand extended next to her face and turned her head.

There, Kyle was extending his hand to Bihar.

Bihar took that hand.

Kyle, who had helped Bihar stand up, walked away alone without saying a word.

As Bihar tried to follow him, Lisinas said.

"Little one."

"Yes."

"Don't live in darkness your whole life."

Lisinas, who spoke with a worried voice, gently pushed the young Bihar's back.

Bihar stared blankly at Lisinas walking with her.

That was the first light Bihar had ever seen.

"Who is she?"

"My disciple."

"Master, I'm your disciple."

The elf girl, Verkia, who was somehow filled with rebellious feelings towards Kyle, stood before Bihar after the introduction and said solemnly.

"I am your senior. Serve me well from now on."

"Okay."

"Then this senior is thirsty, so go fetch some water first."

She commanded as if it were obvious, then got a good beating from Kyle.

At that sight, Bihar burst out laughing without realizing it.

Bihar didn't dislike such a Verkia.

She was fundamentally different from herself.

It wasn't simply because they were of different races.

The eyes of those born in the era of calamity all held darkness.

Even the hero Arion.

But in Verkia, none of that was felt at all.

'She's like Lady Lisinas.'

She gives a sense of relief to those who see her.

A person like a bright light.

So bright that she is beautiful enough to not even evoke jealousy.

That was Bihar's first impression of Verkia.

'My path is different from hers. But someday… just as Master supports Lady Lisinas, perhaps the day will come when I too will have to support this child.'

If the time ever came when they would replace the great heroes.

Vowing that it must be so.

Bihar became Kyle's disciple.

Days of training with Verkia continued.

After growing to some extent, Bihar began to undertake missions with Kyle to eliminate traitors.

She had no complaints about it.

No, rather, it was what Bihar desired more than anyone else.

A necessary task, but one that not everyone could do.

'Because this is dirty work.'

As Bihar thought that and bowed her head, someone placed a teacup in front of her.

Bihar, roused from her thoughts, looked up at the person sitting in front of her.

"What are you thinking so deeply about?"

"It's nothing."

"Shall I guess?"

Lisinas said, bringing the mug in her hand to her lips.

"You're thinking that what you do is dirty work, aren't you?"

"…"

Bihar hunched her shoulders, looking at Lisinas who saw right through her heart.

The place where Bihar was staying was Lisinas's house.

On the day Bihar first came to Gardsron, Lisinas had taken her in.

As the lord of Gardsron, she spent busy days, so there weren't many occasions to meet like this at home, but they often talked like this.

"What you do is by no means dirty work."

Lisinas said, drinking tea.

"Of course, since it's about eliminating traitors in the darkness, you'll use any means necessary."

Traitors are more malicious than even demons towards the hunters who come to judge them.

Because it is the task of eliminating such individuals, hunters also become more brutal, using any means necessary.

Absolute fear must be instilled in traitors.

Lisinas also knew that fact better than anyone.

Because if it weren't for an era like this, it would have been she who was doing this work.

Bihar also knew that fact.

However…

'It doesn't suit her at all.'

Lisinas, as seen in Bihar's eyes, was too dazzling a person.

She couldn't imagine such a Lisinas eliminating traitors in the darkness and getting blood on her hands, just like herself.

'I think I know why Master took Lady Lisinas's place.'

Lisinas said, looking at Bihar sipping her tea and thinking.

"But Bihar, what you do is clearly for this world. I hope you realize that yourself."

"Does Lady Lisinas think what I do is something to be proud of?"

"Of course."

Lisinas smiled gently.

Bihar was a little surprised by the unhesitating answer.

"I think a person who can stain themselves with darkness for the world is noble."

Bihar spent as much time with Lisinas as with Kyle.

As if to heal Bihar's darkness.

Lisinas took care of Bihar despite her busy schedule.

And again, time flowed.

The great heroes began preparations for their final expedition.

"I probably won't be able to return. So,"

One morning, Kyle, who had stopped by Lisinas's house, said.

And at those words, Bihar's eyes widened.

Lisinas scrunched her face.

"What nonsense are you talking about?"

"I think we need that much resolve."

"We will all come back alive."

Kyle did not answer Lisinas's scoffing words.

He simply placed the food he had made in the kitchen on the table.

"Does Lisinas cook sometimes?"

"Sometimes."

"It must have been hard every time."

Lisinas's hands trembled as she watched Kyle mock her with all his heart.

Bihar laughed at that sight.

"I ask her to make it for me. It comes to mind."

"Do you ask her to make it when you want to punish yourself? I don't think you'd commit such a severe wrong."

"Die!"

Lisinas swung the knife in her hand.

Of course, Kyle dodged it without batting an eye.

Meals were usually Bihar's responsibility.

But very occasionally, when Bihar looked tired, Lisinas would do her best to cook.

It wasn't particularly delicious, but it certainly gave her strength.

Bihar burst into laughter, watching Kyle and Lisinas bickering.

"Well, being like this, it feels like family."

At those words, Lisinas paused, then smiled gently.

It was the first time Bihar had said something like this.

And so, on their final expedition, the two saved the world but did not return.

***

After the world was saved.

Bihar spent hectic days.

The very first thing she did was tear up Kyle's record of acting as a shadow in the Hero Record.

Bihar was proud of her master, who stained his hands with blood by eliminating traitors.

But at the same time, she knew.

'The world will never accept that positively.'

Kyle wouldn't care.

But Bihar disliked that.

That's why she tore up the record and kept it separately.

Afterward, Bihar lived in darkness.

As Bihar expected, Verkia took on Lisinas's role.

As Verkia led the world with her bright light, a long, dark shadow was cast.

And that shadow was the world Bihar lived in.

She never felt ashamed of this work herself.

But Bihar never revealed herself.

The more she did so, the more exhausted she became.

Then one day.

Bihar saw children in the darkness who were in the same predicament as her past self.

And just as Kyle and Lisinas had done in the past, she extended her hand to those children.

That was the light Bihar found in the darkness.

Bihar took in many children.

And those children brought normalcy to her life, which she thought could never be normal.

She found love and had children.

After such a long time, as she found peace, stories of Verkia reached her.

***

"Mother!"

Her son looked pale, seeing Bihar return covered in blood.

Looking at her son, Bihar said.

"Shan."

"Mother, quickly get treatment…"

"Don't resent her."

"…!"

Shan trembled, looking at Bihar who spoke with a faint smile.

"My lifespan was already short because of my illness anyway. So don't resent her."

"Mother…"

"She is like a sister to me, sharing the same father."

Shan knew.

That his mother had worked invisibly her whole life to support Verkia.

"Lady Lisinas told me. That shadows are the most noble of people. So it's okay if others don't recognize it. If you walk this path too. I hope you know that it's never an unhappy thing for no one to acknowledge you."

Bihar smiled.

"Although you said you weren't, I hope you live like my master, who always dedicated himself to the world."

"Yes… Mother."

"Yes, my son. Please take care of your siblings."

"Yes…"

Bihar smiled brightly, looking at her son who clenched his teeth and stoically accepted her death.

It was a smile like Lisinas, who had become a light for her.

It was a life with no regrets.

The only thing that weighed on her mind was not being able to stop Verkia.

***

-I didn't think my last will and testament would torment you for thousands of years.

Chen Xia, who had seen the past, fell silent.

It was a very long story.

But in reality, it was just a fleeting moment.

During that time, Chen Xia saw the past through Bihar's spirit.

Bihar had opened her eyes in the present world because of her concern for Verkia.

But just as Chen Xia saw Bihar's past.

Bihar also saw Chen Xia's past.

And learned how her descendants had lived.

That her last will and testament had become a curse, tormenting her descendants for thousands of years.

That countless shadows had despaired over themselves.

-You resent me too, don't you?

'Yes, I resented you a lot.'

From a young age, she dreamed of being a hero, but the mission as a shadow had bound Chen Xia.

Chen Xia had resented her ancestor, the root cause who made her clan live only in darkness their whole lives.

But…

'Are you ashamed of us, Lady Bihar?'

-No. I'm very proud of you.

Bihar's descendants did not lose their mission even amidst suffering.

How could she not be proud of her descendants who had upheld her legacy for so long?

At Bihar's words, Chen Xia smiled gently.

Bihar had indeed confined her descendants to darkness.

Even if it was unintended.

Countless people suffered.

But one thing was certain.

'I resented Lady Bihar, but I was just as proud of her.'

No one acknowledged them.

Countless people pointed fingers at the Shan Empire.

They were discriminated against despite dedicating themselves to the world, simply because they could not be listed in the Hero Record.

Yet, the Shan Empire steadfastly pursued their path for a long time.

Because they were proud of Bihar, who had dedicated her entire life to the world.

'The ancestors must have felt the same. I believe they lived in darkness for thousands of years without going astray, even if they resented Lady Bihar, because they were proud of her.'

Chen Xia said.

'So Lady Bihar is fully qualified to be called an ancestor.'

Bihar couldn't say anything.

-Thank you for saying that.

She could only express gratitude for Chen Xia's comforting words in a trembling voice.

'It's amazing. I don't have talent as a spirit master, but I can talk to an ancestor like this.'

-It was Master's spirit mastery that awakened me. But it was your spiritual power that completed the contract.

The contract Leo made through Bihar's dagger reacted to Chen Xia's spiritual power.

Hearing Bihar's words, Chen Xia said.

'Then you can also possess my body, can't you?'

Chen Xia looked towards Leo.

'I need power.'

-Yes. In fact, that's what I wanted to ask of you.

***

"Bihar, you…"

"We'll talk later."

Bihar smiled faintly.

"I'll stop Verkia from now on."

Bihar gripped her dagger tighter.

"Master, please eliminate that elf."

"Alright."

Leo walked towards Ulain.

Turning her back on that scene, Bihar stood before Verkia, who was clutching her head.

"Verkia."

"Ahhh…"

Verkia, clutching her head, shook it madly.

Looking at such a Verkia, Bihar said.

"I don't resent you. But if you collapse like this…"

"Aaaaaaaah!"

"I will never forgive you."

*Flash-! Kwa-ga-ga-ga-gang-!*

Verkia's swinging sword swept past Bihar.

Verkia's gaze quickly darted backward.

She moved at an unseen speed, but Verkia's senses instantly pursued Bihar.

*Thump- Thump-*

For an instant, confusion arose in Verkia's eyes, which had lost all reason.

Suddenly, Bihar had become two people.

*Thump- Thump-*

Two people became four.

Four people became eight.

Soon, countless Bihars stood before Verkia.

"We were like sisters. As such, we fought a lot. Do you remember what we fought about?"

There was one thing they could never yield on.

Bihar said calmly.

"5000 years ago, I closed my eyes first due to illness, so we couldn't settle the score."

Bihar's gaze shone sharply.

"Let's settle that score now."