Book 1 Chapter 941

Arion, arms crossed, nervously eyed the wolf-person glaring at him.

"Um… you came to save me, right…?"

"What was that?"

"Eek?!"

Arion shrieked involuntarily as Azonia's gaze turned deadly.

Azonia looked at the terrified wolf-person and said,

"Arion-nim."

"Yes, yes?"

"Don't use honorifics."

"Wh-why?"

"It's burdensome when Arion-nim, who is older than me, uses honorifics."

"Huh? Aren't you older than me?"

"What?! You think I look old?"

"I-I never said you looked old!"

"You're saying I look older than Arion-nim?"

"Y-yes. I thought you were my older sister."

"Ughhhhhh!"

Azonia, called "older sister" by Arion, reacted with fierce indignation.

Azonia, writhing on the floor, slammed her fist down-! onto the prison floor.

Crack-!

The prison floor cracked.

At that sight, Arion's expression became even more frightened.

"Since I'm younger, drop the honorifics."

"How old are you…"

At Arion's persistent questioning, Azonia smiled brightly.

"Didn't Arion-nim's teacher teach you that it's rude to ask a woman her age?"

"Y-yes, they did."

Seeing Azonia glare at him, Arion looked flustered.

"They did…"

Seeing Arion changing his words while gauging her reaction, Azonia sighed softly.

For Azonia, Arion was a subject of complex emotions.

There was a distinct difference in how the other heroes of the Great Opening treated the Great Heroes who guided them, and how Azonia treated Arion.

The emotions the other heroes of the Great Opening felt towards the Great Heroes were admiration, longing, and respect.

This was not only true for the heroes of the Great Opening but for most people towards the Great Heroes.

After the Age of Catastrophe ended and the Age of Heroes began.

The deeds of the Great Heroes, who did not abandon the world even when the gods did, were bound to be praised.

The gods themselves gifted the Hero Records to the world so that their great feats would not be forgotten.

'Since history began, they are the only ones who have achieved feats surpassing the gods, so it's natural.'

However, unlike the universal emotions people held for the Great Heroes, Azonia could not purely feel admiration and longing for Arion.

Deep within her.

Were the memories of those Arion couldn't save in his world.

It was a thorn deeply embedded in Azonia's heart.

If Arion had been a little braver, the children in the orphanage wouldn't have died, and Arion's teacher, who could also be considered Azonia's teacher, Agon, wouldn't have collapsed in despair.

'I know it's not Arion-nim's fault, but.'

Even so, Azonia was unable to move forward, buried in the memories of that time.

As a result, the emotion she felt towards Arion was close to love-hate.

She disliked his cowardice.

But she also respected him.

She pitied herself for harboring contradictory feelings for a hero.

That's why Azonia disliked Arion using honorifics towards her.

Regardless of the reason, Arion was a Great Hero worthy of respect.

Because he was the person she aimed for.

'I absolutely cannot tolerate this damned coward showing his pathetic side.'

That's why.

"So? You… no, you came to save me, right? Lissinas sent you?"

Seeing Arion relying on her with hopeful eyes, Azonia couldn't help but feel indignant.

'No! Why is this guy so timid and scared usually!'

Azonia gritted her teeth.

Arion yelped again at her expression.

Azonia, glaring at Arion with terrifying eyes, said,

"I'm not someone Lissinas-nim sent. I live in Reysar in the first place."

"Huh? Then how did you recognize me? People in Reysar wouldn't know my face?"

Arion tilted his head.

At this time, Lissinas was called the hope of the world, shedding the stigma of being a foolish person with absurd delusions of saving the world.

It was the period when the Great Heroes were actively building their reputations.

Therefore, in Reysar, unlike Gardsron, the names of the Great Heroes were known, but their faces were not yet widely recognized.

So, it was natural for Arion to be puzzled when Azonia, who lived in Reysar, recognized him at a glance.

"You seem to know me well, in the first place?"

As Arion expressed his confusion, Azonia, who was contemplating what to say, opened her mouth.

"My teacher is also Agon-nim."

"What? Are you perhaps from Master's orphanage?"

"Something like that."

"Wow!"

Arion's face brightened.

He then looked Arion up and down.

"No wonder I felt a sense of familiarity."

He then sniffed-.

"The smell is familiar too."

'That's because I learned your techniques.'

"Have you seen me before when I was young?"

Azonia shook her head.

Her brown hair swayed.

"Hmm. You must have joined the orphanage after I left. You must have gone through a lot."

"I went through quite a bit."

Azonia nodded at Arion's words, then paused.

"That means… you're saying I look old because I've suffered?"

Arion's expression turned panicked.

A menacing aura emanated from Azonia's eyes.

"You damned wolf brat…!"

Azonia lunged to grab Arion.

"Don't run!"

"You're going to hit me!"

"Of course!"

"I don't want to get hurt!"

Arion desperately fled from Azonia, who was menacingly trying to grab him.

A moment later.

The exhausted Azonia was panting.

She couldn't catch Arion at all.

Arion approached the panting Azonia and asked,

"Are you okay…?"

'Ah! It's really infuriating!'

She knew he wasn't asking to tease her but out of concern.

But no matter what, Arion's innocent behavior was enough to make Azonia furious.

Puffing- puffing- seeing Azonia, Arion said,

"Still, it's a relief. I was sad because all my younger siblings died from that plague…"

"……"

At Arion's words, Azonia bit her lip slightly.

Half a year before the children of the orphanage where Arion lived were massacred by Reysar's high-ranking officials.

Arion was afraid to go to the battlefield and ran away from the orphanage.

Because of that, Arion didn't know what kind of end the children met.

It wasn't just Arion.

Even the Great Heroes didn't know the truth of what happened in Reysar.

Even Leo only learned the truth while conquering Arion's world with Arwa after reincarnation.

"By the way, have you really never seen me before?"

"No."

"That's strange, looking at you, your face seems familiar."

"It must be a misunderstanding."

The Arion Azonia met was not the real one, but a fake.

Every time the hero's world repeated, memories were reset.

Even if she saw his face in a previous conquest, she wouldn't have the memories from that time.

"Is Master doing well?"

At Arion's question, Azonia couldn't answer.

Before being captured and brought to the prison a moment ago, she thought of Agon and said,

"I don't know very well."

"Huh?"

"It's been a long time since I last saw him."

The Great Heroes did not know the end of Agon.

They only heard from those who survived in Reysar that he fought in his final moments.

And they didn't know what kind of life Agon had lived until then.

What was certain was that.

'When I saw him earlier… he wasn't in a normal state.'

A broken heart is difficult to mend.

No matter how great the hero.

The shattered guardian of the heavens.

And for reasons unknown, he was called a traitor in Reysar.

'The fact that I was captured just for mentioning my teacher's name means that Reysar's high-ranking officials are hunting him.'

She knew that those who ruled Reysar were corrupt.

However, on the verge of ruin.

She also harbored doubts as to why they were chasing the guardian of the heavens, who had been broken long ago.

While Azonia was lost in thought.

Arion's ears drooped at Azonia's words that she didn't know Agon's recent whereabouts.

"Really? I came here with courage because I wanted to meet Master."

Arion muttered with a regretful voice.

At his words, Azonia asked,

"Why did you come alone?"

"I wanted to show him. How much I've changed."

"……?"

"As you know. I've become quite famous recently, right?"

Arion clenched his fist tightly.

"It might sound arrogant, but Lissinas has led me well, and I've fought against Tartarus. Lissinas tells me I'm a great help in saving the world, despite my cowardice."

"……"

"Master remembered me as just a timid, pathetic guy."

Arion said with a determined face.

"Now that I've changed a little… I really wanted to show him that side."

These words might have moved someone else.

But unfortunately, the person before him was Azonia.

"Excuse me."

"Hm?"

"But why are you locked up in prison?"

"I was captured for asking about Master."

"No, that's not it."

"Hm?"

"With Arion-nim's abilities, you could have easily escaped and gone to find Master Agon."

"……"

"You don't really need Lissinas-nim's help, do you? No, how long have you been imprisoned in the first place?"

"A, a week."

"What were you doing here for a week! Without looking for Master Agon!"

"B-but!"

"What 'but' is there!"

"I'm scared of escaping and being chased."

"Aaaagh! This damned coward! I'm going crazy with frustration!"

CRASH-!

Azonia wildly swung her fist.

A massive aura storm erupted, blowing away a part of the prison.

Not only that, but the ceiling was also blown away.

Arion's mouth hung open as he watched.

BEEEEEP-!

"Wh-what's happening?!"

"There was a large explosion in the prison."

Azonia reached out and grabbed Arion by the collar.

"Come with me."

"W-we're going to be in big trouble if we go like this!"

"We're already in trouble if we don't!"

"Eek?!"

Overwhelmed by Azonia's momentum, Arion had no choice but to be dragged out.

A moment later.

The prison guards who came to the underground prison were in chaos.

"An, an escape!"

"The prisoners have escaped!"

"Those associated with the traitor Agon have escaped! Send soldiers immediately!"

Reysar was in an uproar.