Book 1 Chapter 800

800.

After finishing their interview with Dayde, the three left the Flobe family's office.

As Dayde was just an ordinary lord of a rural territory, they couldn't obtain any special information from him.

Mostly, eyewitness accounts from citizens formed the bulk of the information.

"We'll only know the specifics by investigating the site ourselves."

Leo also didn't expect to get any information from his father.

The very reason they came to meet Dayde was because he was the lord, the overall person in charge of this territory.

'Well, just influencing Luna in various ways is a gain.'

Leo glanced at Rune, who seemed to be deep in thought.

There was a hint of confusion somewhere on his face.

Leo, who had been looking at Rune, then briefly looked at Reina.

And then, without realizing it, he opened his mouth.

"Ugh."

"Hm? What an impolite reaction is that?"

Reina smiled beautifully and grabbed Leo by the collar.

She wore a bright, flower-like smile, but veins stood out menacingly on her forehead.

It was a reaction that came out of Leo himself without him realizing it, upon seeing Reina, who had looked somewhat girlish just a moment ago.

Reina, who had been shaking Leo vigorously, let him go.

"Anyway, you."

"Yes?"

"You resemble Marquis Dayde?"

Reina tilted her head, resting her hand on her chin.

In response, Leo straightened his collar and said,

"Not at all?"

"Hey, hey. Seirun Student Council President. Doesn't this guy resemble Marquis Dayde from a moment ago?"

"They don't resemble each other at all."

Rune also shook his head.

Dayde Flobe.

He was a person with a benevolent impression and a charm that put people at ease, but his impression was ordinary, far from handsome.

'If I had to say, my face is from my mother's genes.'

Even among the many handsome men and beautiful women in Rumerne, Leo was popular with female students even before he stood out.

As such, Leo thought his looks came from Reina.

'When Mother always said I resembled Father a lot, I just thought she said that because we were father and son…'

It seems Reina's eye for detail is frighteningly good.

Reina, looking a little surprised, glanced at the door and said,

"Marquis Dayde… I wonder if he's married?"

"Are you interested?"

Rune's eyes widened.

"Yes, I feel an attraction."

"I thought you'd be very picky about men… but surprisingly, you like ordinary people."

When Rune said it as if surprised, Leo let out a chuckle.

'She is picky about men, true. She only develops feelings when she senses a good person.'

Reina seems fiery but is a very cautious person.

Of course, when she thought 'this is it,' she was very aggressive.

"Judging by the atmosphere of the house, it seems there's no mistress."

"Oh, indeed."

Reina's eyes sparkled, then she smiled sweetly.

"I want to have a daughter."

"Why?"

"Because a son would probably turn out like you, an impertinent kid with no charm."

Reina narrowed her eyes, slightly tugged at the tip of Leo's hair, and said.

Leo chuckled at Reina and said,

"Let's go to where the black flames erupted now."

"Hmm, shall we?"

***

Vwoom-! Flash-!

Powerful magic swirled, and Rhea appeared at Rumerne's warp gate.

Even though the Student Council President had returned to school, no students were there to greet her.

'It must be class time for everyone?'

Checking her watch, Rhea exited the warp gate.

She exchanged greetings with the faculty and returned to the dormitory building.

The faculty seemed more distracted than usual.

The usual Rhea would have noticed the atmosphere and instinctively known that something had happened during her absence.

But Rhea's mind was complicated due to the business trip.

'…Erebus's residual thought, taking Kyle's form.'

Rhea bit her lip.

Just Erebus taking Kyle's form made her feel a surge of murderous intent.

But the problem didn't end there.

'To be able to bring a being recorded in the Hero Record into the outside world.'

That was the most shocking thing.

'Of course, the power of the residual thought has clearly decreased…'

It's strange when considering Erebus's immortality.

Residual thought.

A tiny fragment of the power of Erebus's pieces.

But even so, it possesses immortality, which is Erebus's authority.

'Summoning a being recorded in the Hero Record must be using a fundamental power… For example… divine power.'

The Hero Record and gods are fundamentally the same.

Rhea deduced the situation with her unique insight.

'Summoning beings from the past would consume immense power, so it must be a great burden for the opponents too.'

Because if they go to the trouble of summoning them only to have them defeated, it would be a wasted effort.

'And… if they can summon beings recorded in the Hero Record…'

Rhea clenched her hand.

'We can do it too.'

At that moment, one person flashed through her mind.

'Kyle…'

Stop-

Rhea stopped walking.

As Kyle came to mind, someone else's image naturally followed.

'…Dwenno… No, Balhar.'

Balhar's appearance was a shock to Rhea.

'I thought I knew everything about Balhar.'

It wasn't just Balhar.

Cardo, Rune too.

She thought that just as her friends knew her, she also knew them perfectly.

The Great Heroes were like family before they were comrades more precious than life itself.

They were precious beings, irreplaceable by anything else.

However, the side of Balhar shown this time was unfamiliar to Rhea.

More precisely…

'…He's moving forward.'

Balhar was moving forward.

She could distinctly feel that fact this time.

What was complicating Rhea's mind now was neither Erebus nor the Hero Record.

It was none other than Balhar.

'…Since I was reborn, I've never thought that what I've been doing was wrong.'

She strived to find traces of Kyle, who had vanished from this world.

She lived to prove the existence of the Hero of Beginnings in this world.

She also struggled to find Kyle, who might have been reborn like her.

But…

'…I couldn't find any trace of Kyle.'

As a Spirit Sorcerer, she knew.

That's why Rhea immediately recognized Rune, Cardo, and Balhar when she first saw them.

That the three were the reincarnations of Luna, Arion, and Dwenno.

Because the wavelength of their souls hadn't changed at all from 5000 years ago.

That's why if she were to meet Kyle, she would recognize him immediately.

But… Kyle didn't exist anywhere.

'I thought I had to avenge Kyle.'

Against Tartaros…

And against Erebus, whom she ultimately couldn't reach 5000 years ago.

If there was no Hero of Beginnings, they could create a second Hero of Beginnings.

Even if they couldn't become the Hero of Beginnings, they could produce heroes who inherited his will.

With such thoughts, Rhea presented a path to the Rumerne students.

A path that would allow students to follow in Kyle's footsteps.

She thought that was for Kyle's sake.

Step- Step-

Rhea walked silently, looking only at the ground.

'But… was that really the right thing to do…?'

Telling her friends not to call out old names anymore.

Talking about moving forward to a future without Kyle.

Because she was the leader.

5000 years ago and now…

As the leader who guided the Great Heroes.

No one denied that fact.

But…

'If I go in the wrong direction… we all go in the wrong direction.'

She had forgotten that fact.

5000 years ago.

She thought carefully countless times.

To not lose her way.

But…

'…Am I really going in the right direction?'

That thought occurred to her for the first time.

'No. Was I even moving forward at all?'

Stop-

She stopped walking again.

Whoosh-

The wind blew from behind her.

Rhea unconsciously looked back.

Five Great Heroes, including herself, were walking.

In their past forms.

With unyielding eyes.

The illusion soon disappeared.

Rhea clenched her fist.

Balhar's will was clear.

To leave those who are gone behind and move forward.

That was the path for those who remained.

'I know. Kyle would have done that. But… if we forget him, Kyle will completely disappear.'

She bit her lip tightly.

She clenched her fist with a look as if she were about to cry.

Her fingertips trembled slightly.

'Excluding Kyle, who must have suffered the most… only we… are enjoying this peaceful world.'

Rhea turned her head and looked ahead.

The present, which shone more brightly than anyone else, was half-destroyed in a terrible state.

"…"

Seeing the dormitory turned into ruins, Rhea wore a stunned expression.

Rhea, mouth agape, grabbed a student passing nearby.

"Che- Chelsea. What happened here?"

"Ah! Rhea unnie!"

Chelsea's eyes widened, and she hopped and skipped past the debris to stand in front of Rhea.

"You're here now?"

"Yeah. More importantly… what in the world is this…?"

Rhea paused as her eyes met Chelsea's.

'Huh?'

Rhea's eyes widened slightly.

"Hm? What's wrong, Rhea unnie? Is something on my face?"

Chelsea opened her eyes wide and pressed her palm against her cheek.

Looking at Chelsea, Rhea wore a perplexed expression.

'Was she always like this?'

It was clearly the usual Chelsea.

But the atmosphere was different.

In Rhea's eyes, she saw a light from Chelsea that she didn't normally see.

Just then…

"Ahem! Make way! Third-year Knight Department Number One! Illiana Laden is coming through!"

From afar, Illiana, burdened with construction materials on her back, walked with a proud stride.

Her appearance was decidedly different from her usual timid self.

"Oh! My goodness."

"That she's the first in the third-year Knight Department…"

"The Knight Department is doomed!"

Exclamations of dismay poured out from among the third-year Knight Department students.

"Hey you! If you're annoyed, come fight me!"

Illiana glared, furiously swinging her fists in the air.

Then, spotting Rhea staring intently at her, she gasped, stumbled backward, tripped over a stone, and fell flat on her back.

'Illiana too…'

Was different.

It wasn't the atmosphere, but an invisible light seemed to be visible.

'It's like Balhar.'

Eleana approached Rhea, who wore a perplexed expression while thinking of her friend.

"You're here, Student Council President?"

Rhea spoke, seeing Eleana's irritable and annoyed appearance, which was unlike her usual gentle demeanor.

"Eleana sunbae. What happened? Why is it like this?"

At that question, Eleana let out a deep sigh.

"Some suspicious fellow attacked the dormitory. With these damn brats."

Eleana pinched both of Chelsea's cheeks.

"Ow! Let me go!"

Chelsea flailed her arms.

And using telekinesis, she dragged Illiana, who had fallen flat on her back.

"Agh! Eleana sunbaenim! My skirt's flipping up!"

Illiana, dragged upside down, gasped in horror, clutching her skirt tightly and struggling.

Thud!

"Ouch!"

When the telekinesis was released, Illiana fell to the floor.

Correspondingly, Chelsea's cheeks were also released.

Chelsea held her swollen cheeks, wearing a sulky expression.

"Suspicious fellow?"

"Yes. Oh. And a letter from the Seirun Student Council President."

Eleana took a letter envelope from her pocket and handed it over.

It was a letter sealed with magic so only Rhea could see it.

Rhea opened the envelope and checked its contents.

And then closed her eyes.

"It seems… I'll have to go right away."

"As soon as you arrive?"

"Yes."

Rhea, who was folding the envelope, realized there were two pages and, with a puzzled look, checked the back page.

[Damn sly con artist lizard.]

'…Why is he doing this to me again?'

At the words that somehow felt malicious, Rhea pressed her temples.

"Where are you going, Rhea unnie?"

To Chelsea's question, Rhea replied calmly.

"To the Delian Kingdom, Flobe Marquisate."