Editor : Amethyst00



[Objective (Hidden): Save Agon, the Guardian of the Azure Heavens.]

Seeing that the conquest objective still hadn’t disappeared, Leo narrowed his eyes.

‘The hidden objective still hasn’t been fulfilled.’

The flow of events must have already deviated greatly from the original history.

Yet the hidden strategy goal remained. That meant the orphanage was still not safe.

Leo summoned a flame and turned the corpses to ashes.

Fwoosh—!

‘So if things go on like this, the outcome will be the same as before?’

In the original timeline, the main objective could be cleared easily with Kyle’s memories. But completing the hidden one was never that simple.

‘Do I need to call Agon here?’

Everything that had happened stemmed from the fact that Agon had left the orphanage unattended.

‘But right now, Agon’s in the lord’s castle.’

He might not even return tonight.

Leo frowned slightly, then looked at Elsie.

‘No… even if Agon were here, he might not be able to stop it.’

The hidden objective had appeared after Leo met Elsie.

Meaning— even when Elsie hadn’t yet departed for Godthrone, the children of the orphanage still couldn’t escape death.

A death that even an Elemental Lord could not prevent.

He didn’t know what Levaiten was hiding, but even if he called Agon back now, the children’s survival couldn’t be guaranteed.

‘So the only one who can truly resolve this situation is… him.’

Thinking of an old friend, Leo turned toward where Aru was.

There, Aru was comforting the terrified orphans.

“You’re back?”

Aru, who had been thinking about Leo just moments ago, hesitated.

She had already guessed what he had done to their attackers.

Of course, she didn’t intend to blame him.

Those people didn’t deserve mercy.

They had tried to murder innocent children—and if left alive, they would have come back again.

Besides, this was the Hero's World.

No matter how real they seemed, these people were still fakes.

Even so, for Aru, still a fifteen-year-old girl, the thought of taking a life weighed heavily on her heart.

The thought that Leo had killed someone made her uneasy.

“Black Rabbit… are you okay?”

Seeing her cautious question, Leo chuckled and tousled his hair.

“You don’t have to worry about me.”

His hand, rougher and firmer than that of a boy his age, brushed against Aru's neck ever so lightly.

‘He feels… like an adult.’

Feeling that strange maturity, Aru slipped from his touch like a cat.

“Anyway, this won’t be the end, will it?”

“Probably not.”

“It’s fine! Until Mister Agon comes back, you and I can hold out together!”

“That won’t be easy.”

At Leo’s words, Aru flinched.

“The ones who come next will be far stronger than the ones we just fought.”

“Mm! Even so, if you and I work together—!”

“Defeating them might be possible. But protecting the children while fighting won’t be.”

“T-that’s…”

Aru's ears and tail drooped.

Seeing her like that, Leo said quietly,

“But it’s not like there’s no way.”

“What is it?”

Her drooping tail perked up again.

“Finding Aaron.”

“Lord Aaron? But Mister Agon said he left Raysar…”

“Aaron’s still in Raysar.”

Leo looked toward the city wall.

“I checked last night—no one can leave the city right now.”

“They can’t leave? Then that means our range of movement is limited to Raysar itself!”

“Exactly.”

“Then if that’s true, Aaron must still be here!”

Aru's face brightened.

But only for a moment.

“But how do we find him in this huge city? Those guys could attack again any time.”

Indeed, finding one beastman in this vast refugee city was nearly impossible.

Leo glanced at the children.

‘The Hero's World has already been cleared.’

The hidden objective, as the name implied, was optional.

He didn’t have to complete it.

Of course, if he did, the reward would be greater.

But risking his life for that might be foolish.

Especially since everyone here had already died long ago in the real history.

Saving them wouldn’t bring back the dead.

And yet—

Leo remembered his friend’s tearful face when he had spoken of his younger siblings from the orphanage.

If the man named Agon had been the one who made the Hero Aaron who he was— then these children were the ones who had given Aaron the courage to endure that long, harsh struggle.

Aaron’s wish to build a world where people could laugh freely, had been born from his desire to see children like his siblings freed from misfortune.

That was why Leo couldn’t turn his back on them.

‘Not just these kids, either.’

No matter what anyone said, Leo had lived through that era.

He couldn’t pretend he had no connection to it.

“Aru.”

“Yeah?”

“We’ve already cleared the main objective. So there’s no need to take any more risks.”

At his words, Aru's eyes widened.

Then she looked straight at him and snorted.

“Hmph! You say that, but I know you’re not going to back out, right? You just want to do all the cool stuff yourself, huh?”

“It could really be dangerous.”

“You think I’m scared of that? I became a hero because I admired Lord Aaron’s story.”

Aru puffed out her chest proudly.

“There’s no way someone like me would back down like a coward! Besides!”

“Besides?”

“If you do everything alone, Lord Aaron will only praise you! I can’t let that happen!”

Aru made an expression that said she absolutely would not tolerate that.

“I’ll work hard too! So I can get praised by Lord Aaron! Maybe even get my head patted!”

Thinking about Aaron complimenting her, Aru twisted her body bashfully.

Then, catching Leo’s amused look, she cleared her throat hastily.

“A-anyway! You’ve thought of a way to find him, right?”

“Yeah.”

“Then go! I’ll protect this place until you get back!”

Leo had originally planned to have Aru evacuate and ask Elsie to defend the orphanage instead— but he couldn’t help laughing wryly.

“If that guy had even half your courage, I wouldn’t have had such a hard time.”

“Huh? What do you mean?”

“Just talking to myself.”

Shaking his head, Leo said seriously,

“I’ll be back as soon as I can. If things get too dangerous, don’t push yourself—fall back.”

“Don’t worry!”

Flexing her arm with confidence, Aru grinned.

Watching her, Leo leapt away swiftly.

As his figure disappeared into the distance, Aru raised both fists in the air.

“Alright! I’ll do my best so Lord Aaron praises me a ton! Let’s gooo!”

bl

“No word from Jerin yet?”

Inside Raysar’s lord’s castle.

It had already been an hour since Agon began his meeting with Lord Rodean.

Yet still, there was no report from Jerin, whom they had sent to the orphanage.

“Nothing yet.”

“Useless woman! Don’t tell me she failed?”

“There should’ve been only helpless children there, right?”

“When I checked earlier, there were two outsiders with them. It seems they were the ones who interfered.”

“Outsiders, huh.”

The woman, momentarily intrigued, soon lost interest and made a bored expression.

“So? Today’s our perfect chance to obtain Schatten. You’re not going to let it slip, are you?”

“Of course not. Once Agon learns the orphanage was attacked, he won’t sit still.”

At that, Levaiten’s face suddenly grew uneasy.

“But… are we certain Agon really hid Schatten?”

“Certain. Have I ever been wrong? Or are you just getting cold feet now?”

“N-no, that’s not it… It’s just that the opponent is…”

“I don’t see why you’d tremble before a hero whose wings have long been broken.”

With a sneer, the woman said flatly,

“Even if you’re scared, it doesn’t matter. As long as the Guardian of the Azure Heavens is a hero, he can’t act recklessly. That’s what heroes are.”

Her golden eyes gleamed ominously.

“Fools who would sacrifice themselves for some noble cause. He’ll never endanger Raysar. So relax, Levaiten.”

“Y-yes, understood. Then I’ll go to the orphanage myself and retrieve Schatten.”

Watching him hurry out of the room, the woman murmured,

“So Schatten really is broken, then. Makes it easier to devour.”

She had seen through the truth—that Schatten was an elemental.

Her tongue flicked across her lips.

“I wonder if an Elemental Lord tastes as good as a Fairy King.”.

bl

Stepping into the streets of Raysar, Leo immediately began thinking of places Aaron might go.

‘Knowing him, that guy would definitely hole himself up somewhere and not move an inch.’

He recalled his conversations with Aaron.

Raysar was where Aaron had lived for ten years.

There were plenty of places filled with his memories.

Leo sifted through the recollections of his past life.

Five thousand years ago, after first arriving in Raysar, he had wandered the city for a month—he knew its geography well.

He compared that memory with the places Aaron had once mentioned.

‘The place he said he visited most was the bell tower.’

Leo dashed toward the tall tower where a giant bell hung.

It was the very bell that had sounded the alarm when Tartaros invaded.

Reaching the top, Leo looked around for Aaron—but saw no one.

Confirming his absence, Leo immediately moved on to the next place:

The park he’d often visited.

The back-alley clearing where he’d trained alone.

He searched all the places Aaron had spoken of, but couldn’t find him anywhere.

“Huff… huff…”

Even Leo, whose stamina was almost limitless, was gasping for breath after running so frantically.

‘No other places come to mind…’

Grinding his teeth, Leo recalled one of their old conversations.

‘Aaron, even though you were that strong, you never once tried fighting Tartaros while in Raysar?’

‘Because I was scared of the demons.’

‘Shouldn’t the demons have been scared of you instead?’

At Luna’s baffled question, Dweno had chimed in,

‘Don’t tease him so much. Aaron’s a delicate soul, unlike you.’

‘Hey! I’m delicate too!’

‘The only delicate thing about you is your fair face. Though even that loses its shine thanks to your rough personality.’

‘You’re dead!!’

Enraged, Luna swung her staff wildly, but Dweno easily blocked every strike.

The rest of the group simply watched, used to their antics.

‘Still, didn’t you ever want to fight, even once?’*

At Lysinas’s gentle question, Aaron had smiled awkwardly.

‘I did. One day, I even went to a place where I could see all of Raysar— and I told myself I’d try to be brave.’

‘But you hate high places, don’t you? Why there?’

‘Because I wanted to protect the city where my master and siblings lived. I thought maybe if I looked at the place I wanted to protect, I could find courage.’

Aaron had worn a bittersweet smile.

‘But I was too much of a coward. By the time I finally found that courage, my siblings were already gone.’

Leo’s gaze turned naturally toward the tallest spire in Raysar.

That place would surely overlook the entire city.

bl

Inside the spire, Leo climbed the stairs and quickly reached the top floor.

Creak—!

The door, which should have been locked, was open— as if someone had already entered.

Step—

Catching his breath, Leo walked forward.

The round interior of the tower opened up before him.

Step, step—

Following the circular railing to the opposite side of the entrance, Leo stopped.

Tap—

At the railing, a pair of white wolf ears twitched.

Then, as if startled, the young man turned toward him.

“Who’s there?”

The youthful Aaron’s face showed surprise— his features still soft with the traces of boyhood.

‘At this time… he must be about eighteen.’

The only Great Hero born during the Age of Calamity.

Frighteningly timid, yet possessing a courage that defied belief—

Looking at his old comrade-in-arms, Leo felt his throat tighten.

He had never thought he’d have the chance to speak with him again.

Even if this was merely the Hero's World.

Even if his friend no longer remembered him.

In this moment, Leo was simply grateful.

“I came to get you, Aaron.”