Book 1 Chapter 944
944.
Ar knelt before Azonia, who had her arms crossed, her hands raised.
Arion hid behind Azonia, looking at Ar with fearful eyes.
“I have a question.”
“What is it?”
“Why do I have to keep my hands up?”
Azonia spoke to Ar's complaining question.
“Because you rush at this gentleman as if you have rabies. Ah! Go away! Since when have we known each other that you’re clinging to me like this!”
Azonia pushed Arion away with her hand.
At that sight, Ar flared up.
“Don’t bother Arion-nim!”
Azonia gave Ar, who was hissing at her, a knuckle on the head.
As Azonia sighed, watching Ar tumble on the floor, clutching her head.
“By the way, do you two know each other?”
Arion asked with a puzzled face.
“Yes. We came from the same place.”
“What kind of relationship is it? You seem very close?”
Azonia, who had been pondering while looking at Arion, who was showing curiosity, grabbed Ar by the scruff of her neck, who was rolling on the floor, and said.
“She’s my daughter.”
Ar’s mouth dropped open, bewildered, and Arion looked shocked.
“You, you said you didn’t have a boyfriend?”
“Yes. But I didn’t say I didn’t have a husband.”
Azonia said brazenly.
Since Arion had developed a romantic interest in her.
Azonia's desire to shake off that interest was paramount.
‘Ugh~! It's creepy.’
Azonia could never see Arion as a man.
It wasn't that she disliked Arion.
But that absolutely didn't mean she had a romantic interest.
‘Should I say it’s like a sibling relationship?’
Of course, Arion wouldn't know her.
It was a feeling that arose from hearing too many stories about Arion from Agon.
‘He’s not even my type to begin with. He’s too kind.’
“B-But aren’t you too young to have such a grown daughter?”
“I had her when I was young. The world is a harsh place, you see. Right, Ar?”
Ar, who was looking at Azonia smiling brightly as she spoke, nodded her head.
“Yes, Mom.”
Azonia, who nodded with a satisfied face at Ar's answer, said.
“We need to talk privately, so please wait here for a bit.”
“Okay…”
Arion nodded, drooping his ears and tail.
Soon, Azonia took Ar and moved away from Arion.
Azonia created an aura to block the flow of wind.
It was to prevent Arion from possibly overhearing.
“What’s the situation outside?”
“We are recognizing Arion-nim’s world and making various preparations, Mom.”
“As expected, with Kyle-nim there, things are going smoothly.”
“Mom. Have you met up with Kal, Rumerun first-year, and Eiran, who seem to have arrived earlier?”
“Not yet.”
“Hmm. Where could they possibly be?”
“They must be somewhere. First, we need to meet up with them.”
“Yes, Mom.”
“How long are you going to keep calling me Mom, you damned cat.”
Azonia narrowed her eyes and pulled Ar's cheeks.
Despite that, Ar smiled brightly.
“What's so good that you're smiling like such a fool?”
“I thought Azonia-nim disliked me.”
Beastfolk never refer to someone as family unless they are cherished, regardless of the situation.
That's why Ar realized Azonia cherished her when Azonia called her daughter, although she didn't know the exact situation.
“You… you knew I was treating you badly, didn’t you? But why did you keep smiling foolishly and blindly follow everything I said?”
“Because it’s Azonia-nim.”
Ar said as if it were no big deal.
“You’re someone I respect as much as Arion-nim.”
Azonia scratched her head, looking at Ar, who showed innocent trust.
“By the way, why did you introduce me as your daughter?”
“That guy asked me if I had a boyfriend.”
“Ohh?!”
Ar's tail formed an '!' shape.
“Arion-nim has fallen for Azonia-nim!”
“Why are you happy about it?”
Azonia made an exasperated expression.
“You two look so good together!”
“Good together, my foot.”
Azonia snorted.
“Anyway. You like Arion-nim so much, aren’t you jealous that he’s interested in me?”
“No. Not really. Arion-nim is, well, someone who wants to be petted and praised, but it’s far from the feeling of wanting his tail touched.”
“Indeed. As a man, his charm is zero.”
“Don’t be ridiculous! Arion-nim has tremendous charm as a man too!”
Ar hissed immediately at Azonia's words.
Azonia ignored Ar and said.
“Ar.”
“Yes.”
“You know that Arion-nim came here to meet his master, right?”
“I heard from the black rabbit. That Arion-nim ultimately couldn’t meet his master…”
“Right. But I saw Agon-sensei as soon as I came to the hero’s world.”
“Really?!”
Ar's eyes widened.
“Yeah. Though he disappeared right away.”
“Wow wow! Then let’s help our Arion-nim meet them both!”
“Of course, I will. No. I won’t just let them meet and end it there.”
“Huh? Then…”
“I’m going to save Agon-sensei.”
“…”
“I’m going to change the history that actually happened.”
Ar, whose eyes widened at Azonia's words, grinned.
“We think alike.”
***
“How are the first-years doing?”
“Overall, it’s a chaotic atmosphere, you know.”
Lunia sighed softly and answered Leo’s question.
“Currently, a hero dungeon has appeared somewhere in Leysar. They can’t help but be confused, not knowing when or who might suddenly be dragged in.”
It is unprecedented for hero dungeons to indiscriminately drag in challengers.
Not only the first-years but also the second and third-years were feeling confused by the unprecedented situation.
Driana, who was listening to the conversation, said.
“In a way, isn’t it rather a good thing?”
Leo and Lunia looked at Driana.
Driana calmly continued as she poured tea into her teacup.
“Anyway, the hero dungeon has already occurred, hasn’t it? This is something we can’t control.”
Driana lifted her teacup, inhaled the aroma, and sipped the tea.
“But the worst-case scenario in this situation is if everyone is suddenly dragged into the hero dungeon. If hundreds of people enter at once, chaos could ensue. However, in a way, we have bought ourselves time to formulate countermeasures.”
Driana was right.
The biggest reason why hero dungeons are dangerous is that it’s unknown whose world it is.
At the Hero Academy, students learn heroology and are trained to anticipate countless situations to conquer hero worlds.
But even with such training, the success rate for conquering hero dungeons is low.
Furthermore, when a hero dungeon occurs spontaneously, the success rate drops even further.
The difference between being prepared and not prepared is like heaven and earth.
From that perspective, the current situation was not the worst.
Lunia hummed and nodded her head, listening to Driana’s words.
Then, she suddenly looked puzzled.
“By the way, where did Ar go?”
“Hmm. Weren’t you with him?”
“No way?”
Lunia looked surprised.
“It seems he got caught up in the hero dungeon. Ar should be fine.”
At Leo's words, Driana stood up.
“I should go check if anyone else got caught up in the hero dungeon.”
“Please do.”
“Leo. As Driana said, have you thought of a strategy to conquer Arion-nim's world?”
“I have.”
“As expected.”
Lunia gave him a trusting look.
“Arion went to Leysar first to meet his master. We warped Arion and some of Leysar’s residents to Gardsron. That alone will conquer Arion’s world. Simple, right?”
At those words, Lunia and Driana looked at Leo with slightly bewildered expressions.
“Why?”
“There’s no plan to defeat Tartaros who invades Leysar, or to save Leysar by preventing the summoning of Erebus?”
“No.”
“Why?”
“Even if we conquer Arion’s world, the past won’t change.”
Leo answered calmly.
“It’s already a past that has passed. Nothing changes by saving Leysar in the hero’s world.”
Leo said, taking in the scenery of Leysar.
“It would be different in another world. But this time, if we make a mistake, we might have to fight the complete form of Erebus.”
There are great heroes in the hero’s world.
But they are still incomplete heroes.
Objectively speaking, saving Leysar was akin to suicide.
“You don’t need to risk your lives, which are the future of this world, for a past that’s already decided.”
At Leo's words, Driana asked.
“What about Arion-nim? The great heroes you met in the hero’s world have regained their previous memories. So wouldn’t it be the same this time?”
At Driana's words, Leo closed his eyes.
“For Arion-nim, isn’t it losing his homeland and a master like a father?”
As Leo said, even if the hero's world is conquered, nothing changes.
The dead do not come back to life, nor does the past change.
But for someone, it could be an opportunity to heal, even if just a little, the wounds left in their heart.
Everyone leaves behind regrets.
They regret several times, saying it would be different if that time came.
“Leo. The same goes for you.”
“…”
“Didn't you have any regrets back then?”
“No.”
Leo smiled faintly.
“Even if I did, it’s not important enough to risk your lives.”
“…”
“Arion will also make the same choice as me.”
“I understand.”
“Driana. If you back down so readily…”
“What can I do if he doesn’t want it?”
Practically speaking, Leo is the only one who has lingering attachments to that era.
It's strange to keep talking when Leo says he's okay with it.
“I’ll go check if anyone else besides Ar got caught in the hero dungeon.”
“Please do.”
Driana pulled Lunia out of the room.
As Leo was left alone in the room, Elsie appeared.
-Are you sure about this?
“Do you also want to save Agon and Leysar?”
-Yes. But I am in this world because of Leo. I will follow Leo’s will. But.
“But?”
-It seems like Leo has quite a few regrets about Leysar.
Leo smiled bitterly at Elsie's words.
“Was it obvious?”
-I am your closest sworn ally, after all.
Leo stroked his face.
“Of course, I have regrets.”
Leo’s gaze turned back to Leysar outside the window.
“It was I who abandoned Leysar.”