Book 1 Chapter 565

"Leo Flov?"

"Yes."

"But Leo Flov is a student, just like you? Of course, he became a hero before you. How can someone equal to you have the right to judge your qualifications?"

"He has plenty of qualifications. And who said we're equal?"

From the first moment Ar met Leo, he felt a strong sense of rivalry.

The fighting spirit that desires to fight strong opponents is a natural instinct for Beastmen.

Ar had only ever met one Beastman who didn't possess such an instinct.

'It's ironic that it was Lord Areon.'

Areon, the strongest warrior revered by all Beastmen.

Ar's admiration for him, who was incredibly cowardly but possessed unparalleled courage because of it.

Ar recalled another person he admired.

'Thinking of the black rabbit makes my heart flutter.'

It was a strange feeling, similar yet slightly different to how he felt when thinking of Areon.

He still harbored a strong sense of rivalry towards Leo.

However, he didn't consider him a rival.

'I definitely felt that way at first.'

But Ar wasn't a fool.

He could already feel the gap between him and Leo.

If he saw Leo as an opponent to be defeated, Ar would never be able to move forward.

'The one I need to defeat is this one.'

Ar glanced at the red-haired elf beside him.

Lunia El Lundea.

The rival Ar needed to defeat.

To Ar, Leo was not a competitor.

He was a goal.

'As a hero… and also as a strong person, a goal to catch up to. Yes, like…'

The back of someone's head appeared in Ar's mind.

That trustworthy back, which made his heart tremble and gave him courage just by looking at it.

'Lord Areon.'

He didn't know why.

But Ar's intuition told him.

'At least to me, the black rabbit is equal to Lord Areon.'

Someday, the moment to stand shoulder to shoulder would come.

Until then, no, even then, Leo was the only leader Ar had ever acknowledged in his entire life.

Riden was surprised by Ar's words.

'What kind of person is Leo Flov?'

In his eyes, Lunia and Ar were special.

Lunia had attained the title of "[Chaser of the Nebula]" and ascended to the position of successor to the progenitor of the Nebula.

'Ar Tune is the same. Although she hasn't received a hero's title yet… she recently inherited Braver from a hero who descended to the mortal realm.'

It was certain that in the near future, she would receive a title proving she was a hero's successor.

'For such individuals to acknowledge Leo Flov as their leader.'

Riden, who had been surprised, his eyes sparkled.

"I really want to meet Leo Flov!"

"What do you want to do if you meet him?"

"I want to be his guide."

"What?"

"Of course, my desire to be your guide hasn't changed."

Riden smiled gently.

"Throughout history, heroes who achieved great feats have always had their partner dragons by their side. Of course, I may be lacking now. But I will do my best to become the partner you receive in the future."

At those words, Lunia wore a look of disbelief.

'He wants to be Leo's guide?'

Not even Melina, the current Dragon Lord, or Rodia, the Dragon of Creation, could be his guide.

Leo's guide was Wisdom King Lisinas.

And he said what?

'I wonder what Leo's expression would be if he heard this.'

"He seems like a bothersome fellow. What should we do?"

Ar whispered into Lunia's ear.

"He says meeting Leo is his wish, so let's let him meet him."

Lunia's expression was indifferent.

"He'll probably get discouraged on his own if he meets him."

***

The Dragon Lord's Audience Chamber.

Melina gazed up at the beautiful black dragon painted on the ceiling.

The pride and glory of all dragons in this world.

It was the great dragon hero, Wisdom King Lisinas.

Melina closed her eyes and clasped her hands in prayer.

'Great Wisdom King. Your friend, the hero of beginnings who saved the world with you, is once again about to walk a difficult path. Please, as his guide, watch over his path. And please give me, who is lacking, the strength to be of some help on the path he is taking.'

Melina herself knew that such prayers were meaningless.

Praying would not reach Lisinas, who was already dead.

Even if it did, she couldn't gain strength.

This was just a prayer she had been repeating for a hundred years to steady herself.

Melina's hands trembled slightly as she thought about what was to come.

'A great battle that will determine the survival of the world will soon begin. And the struggle with Erebus in that battle is unavoidable.'

Melina bit her lip without realizing it.

A hundred years ago, Melina challenged the final stage of the Creation world with the heroes she had chosen, and the result was tragic.

Only one person returned alive.

Even that person passed away soon after.

Those who died during the conquest of the final stage couldn't even leave proper last words.

It was a miracle that Melina alone was able to return in one piece.

'I'm sorry, Melina. We were lacking, so we leave a great burden to you. But… we believe you will try again. That you will defeat that great evil.'

These were the last words of Ludvi, the elf sword mage who had survived with her.

Melina clenched her fist.

'Ludvi, Halok, Demen, Thiel… You were not lacking. The lacking one was the foolish me.'

The elf sword mage. The dwarf warrior.

The Beastman mage.

And the human spirit master.

A hundred years ago, they were heroes who dominated the era and great heroes counted after the reappearance of the calamity.

However, they had to close their eyes without fully blossoming their potential.

'Because of me…'

From a young age, Melina was special.

She was so talented that she was called the reincarnation of Rodia, the Dragon of Creation.

However, that talent made Melina arrogant, and it ultimately led to the tragic result of losing all her dearest friends.

It was around that time that she became so cautious that she was called the Silent Dragon.

"Silent Dragon" was not Melina's original epithet.

It was closer to a derogatory term for Melina, who had done nothing for a hundred years despite being in the position of Lord.

To avoid the same situation as her friends, whose potential had to be buried due to her arrogance, Melina willingly accepted that derogatory term.

The defeat a hundred years ago still lingered in Melina's memory, reminding her of her fear of Erebus.

Although she had recently succeeded in defeating the third fragment of the revived Erebus, it wasn't something she had done herself.

'I relied on Lord Leo and Lord Areon.'

Erebus was still a terror that made Melina tremble.

'But I can't be trapped by failure forever.'

Melina gritted her teeth, holding her trembling hands.

'It's a promise to everyone.'

Even to atone for her friends who were driven to death because of her.

'I must defeat Erebus with all I have.'

*Knock knock*

A small knock broke Melina's reverie.

Melina, instantly returning to her Lord's posture, sat in the audience chamber.

"Enter."

The one who opened the door and entered was a girl with blonde hair and golden eyes, Enkinias.

She was Melina's successor and a dragon who had been assisting Leo since the summer vacation.

She had returned briefly as Leo had come to Dragonia.

"En, what is it at this hour?"

Looking at Melina's gentle smile, En bowed her head and said.

"It seems the students of Wisdom have made contact with the hero candidates visiting Dragonia."

Wisdom.

After the end of the Calamity Era.

It was an educational institution founded by dragons to inherit the will of Wisdom King Lisinas.

Just as most of the countless heroes who left their names in the world were graduates of hero academies, the dragons who led those heroes to great achievements were all graduates of Wisdom.

The great Dragon of Creation, and even Melina, had learned at Wisdom.

"It must be a great opportunity for the students of Wisdom. It's not easy to meet hero candidates while still being students."

A guide selects heroes and leads them to great achievements.

A partner who helps heroes and shows them the way.

Therefore, meeting hero candidates must be good study for the students of Wisdom.

Melina, who had been smiling gently, noticed a hint of worry on Enkinias's face and tilted her head.

"Do you have any concerns?"

"Ah, yes. The Wisdom students who are going to meet the hero candidates this time are very excellent students. However, as they are excellent, they have strong pride and many emotionally immature aspects."

"Ah. I understand what you're worried about."

Dragons are the strongest race.

Therefore, they have strong pride in their race.

'To put it nicely, they have high self-esteem, and to put it badly, they are arrogant.'

"You were like that in the past too, weren't you, En?"

Seeing Melina chuckle, Enkinias blushed.

"Th-those are memories I want to forget."

"It's okay. I was like that too. Children are naturally immature, and everyone has memories they want to forget."

"I can't imagine it."

"Everyone is like that. Dragons who don't know the world are all arrogant. But that also means they become humble when they learn about the world."

Melina knew.

That humility was the greatest virtue Lisinas possessed.

"During the Age of Gods, dragons… were more noble and esteemed beings than they are now."

The honor of being the proxy of the gods.

That made the dragon race arrogant.

During the Age of Gods, nations were destroyed just for insulting a dragon.

"At that time, we were not just arrogant, but insolent. We took for granted our rule over other races. Something was clearly twisted."

Even among such dragons, Lisinas was special.

In a world that mocked him as foolish, Lisinas humbled himself and continued to speak of hope.

He never lost his smile even to the hero of beginnings who mocked and despised him, and he reached out to him until the end.

That virtue saved the world.

"A guide is not simply someone who leads heroes."

Melina said firmly.

"Of course, a guide sometimes gives commands to heroes from the front."

Just as Wisdom King Lisinas and Rodia, the Dragon of Creation, were leaders of the great heroes and creation heroes.

"But they must not always be in a high position. They must know how to serve heroes from the lowest position, and sometimes lead from the front, and follow from behind. And they must support the heroes so they don't fall."

"That sounds like a very difficult task."

"Yes, it is very difficult and arduous. But remember. Even during the Age of Gods, our ancestors only reigned as guardians, which led to the world's crisis."

They considered themselves the strongest race and did not believe in the potential of other races.

They simply reigned and gave orders.

The onset of the Calamity Era was clearly the fault of the entire world.

All races failed to harmonize and, without resolving internal conflicts, walked the path of self-destruction.

"Lord Lisinas said that the reason dragons are born with great power is because there is something they must do for the world."

Lisinas made that his race's pride and conviction.

'It was because of someone like Lisinas that I didn't give up until the end.'

Recalling what Leo had told her, Melina smiled faintly.

"Remember. That's what a leader is."

"Yes. But still, should we let the Wisdom students be rude to Lord Leo?"

"It will be a good experience for those children. They might suffer a bit, though."

Enkinias, who had learned Leo's identity through Melina, sighed and changed the subject.

"By the way, it's strange."

"Hmm?"

"Lord Lisinas commanded, served, led, followed, and supported Lord Kyle, right?"

"Yes. Lord Kyle probably treated Lord Lisinas the same way."

"An ideal relationship of trust… It's like a married couple."

"I've never thought of it that way, but you're certainly right. Though it probably wouldn't have happened."

Melina showed a slight expression of regret, and Enkinias nodded.

"Lord Kyle has Lady Luna."

The heroic tales of the great heroes are the most famous and popular stories in the world.

Therefore, even thousands of years later, fairy tale books and novels related to great heroes continue to be published.

Popularity across East and West, regardless of race.

And the story that the world is most focused on recently is the relationship between Kyle and Luna.

The great event where the progenitor of the Nebula, who appeared in the mortal realm, declared her love for Kyle in front of countless onlookers.

Thanks to that unprecedented and revolutionary declaration, novels related to Kyle and Luna continue to be published.

"I thought Lord Lisinas and Lord Kyle looked very good together. But since she's in a romantic relationship with Lady Luna…"

"Have you ever asked him about that?"

"I couldn't ask because I thought it would be difficult for him," Melina said with a bitter smile.

The world now takes for granted that the relationship between the two was a romantic one.

It was understandable, given that a being as esteemed as the progenitor of the Nebula descended to the mortal realm and boldly declared it.

Melina, who had heard neither about Lisinas nor Luna from Leo, also thought so.

"Could you ask her about Lady Luna next time?"

Seeing Enkinias ask with sparkling eyes and a flushed face, Melina pondered for a moment and nodded.

"I'll ask cautiously. First, let's go to meet the Wisdom students."

"You said meeting hero candidates would be a good experience. Are you planning to mediate?"

"Yes. A good experience is good, but it shouldn't leave them with trauma."

"Ah."

Enkinias nodded and followed Melina.