Editor : Amethyst00



Luna’s face flushed as she heard Leo’s encouragement.

Perhaps, if it had come from someone else, those words wouldn’t have reached her.

But Leo’s words clearly did.

Even if history had been twisted, the bond they’d built long before remained.

If it hadn’t been Akint—who had taught Luna magic and cared for her like a daughter—those words might’ve sounded hollow.

‘Should I be thankful to the body’s original owner?’

Leo chuckled inwardly.

The darkness in Luna’s eyes began to sparkle like starlight.

Her drooping ears perked up—twitch, twitch.

Color returned to her face, and Luna’s expression brightened.

“Right? Teacher, you think so too!”

Revived, Luna puffed out her chest with a proud ahem! expression.

‘A being destined to shine like a star in the night sky.’

That was Luna’s favorite saying.

‘Everyone used to tease her for being childish.’

But Luna never felt embarrassed.

She’d proclaim it as if it were obvious—

—and she truly became that way.

Seeing her eyes shine like stars again, Leo burst out laughing.

WhAether in their childhood or during the age of despair,

Luna was still Luna.

Always the arrogant, overconfident young lady.

An elf who called herself the best—and truly was.

Recalling his bold, unshakable friend who used to say she’d become a great magician, Leo smiled.

‘Yeah, this is how you should be.’

That gloomy look didn’t suit her at all.

If Aaron’s guidance had led Kyle forward,

then Luna’s spell had pushed him from behind.

Recalling that now distant, nostalgic past, Leo stood up.

“Well then, shall we head to the party?”

“Yes!”

It was time to set everything right.

‘Tartaros definitely exists within the Hero’s World.’

Leo clenched and unclenched his fist.

‘Then there’s only one conclusion.’

The same as in his previous life—

—and one that would never change.

‘Defeat them.’

bl

The Elf King’s birthday was a day of celebration for the entire elven race.

On this night, all elves blessed their king’s birth.

Just for today, even acts usually deemed sinful were forgiven.

It was the only day when elves, normally obsessed with grace and dignity, cast everything aside.

Even in the High Elves’ city, things were no different.

Everyone indulged freely in the streets.

They believed that at night, darkness hid their sins.

But to those unaware of this custom, the elves’ behavior was simply strange.

“Elves from the old days sure were free-spirited,” Elena murmured as she watched from an alleyway.

Hardin frowned slightly.

“They didn’t seem that way during the day.”

Though brief, the elves Hardin had encountered in this era had seemed much more formal and rigid than modern ones.

Merin, hesitating beside them, spoke up.

“Um… that’s because today is the Elf King’s birthday.”

“Hm?”

“I heard that, just for tonight, they’re allowed to indulge freely.”

Even as a slave, Merin lived in Balharun and thus had received basic etiquette and education.

Hearing that, Elena nodded in understanding.

“Anyway, you said you met Leo, right, Hardin?”

“Yeah. Seems he’s inside the body of a teacher named Akint.”

“A teacher, huh.”

Elena narrowed her eyes.

They had already escaped Balharun Academy.

The problem was what came next.

‘We killed a demon while rescuing Hardin.’

From their perspective, it was necessary—but to the elves, it would look very different.

Intruders committing murder inside Balharun—on the Elf King’s birthday, no less.

Knights were already causing small commotions in the crowd, clearly searching for someone.

‘They must be looking for us.’

Elena twirled a lock of her hair.

‘The Age of the Gods, huh…’

An era barely recorded in history, known only as the most peaceful time.

‘There aren’t any truly dangerous fighters around.’

So far, no elf in Balharun had been a threat to Elena or Hardin.

‘Well, this is a peaceful age—there weren’t even Hero Records back then.’

Elena was strong even in her own time—here, she’d be nearly unmatched.

‘Still, that doesn’t mean I can act carelessly.’

Every age has its strong ones.

And in a city of this size, someone stronger than her might exist.

‘And there’s Tartaros to consider.’

No one knew when Tartaros had infiltrated this world, but if they’d sent an assassin directly into the underground prison, they must’ve burrowed deep into Balharun itself.

‘No reason to turn the whole city against us. For now, we’ll regroup with the others quietly…’

As she thought that, Elena glanced deeper into the alley.

Hardin, leaning against the wall with folded arms, straightened up.

Creak—heeheehee—heehehehe!

A grotesque, metallic laugh echoed.

“Merin.”

“Yes?”

“Close your eyes for a bit, okay?”

Elena smiled gently at the elf girl.

Merin obeyed and shut her eyes.

Fwoosh—!

A massive skeleton appeared behind Elena, swinging a jagged greatsword toward her.

Clang—slash—!

Fwoooosh!

A flash of silver light burst forth as Hardin drew his blade, cleaving the skeleton clean in half.

Thud—shhhhhh—!

The fallen skeleton crumbled into dust.

“Looks like there’s a necromancer nearby,” Elena said, amused.

Clack-clack—clatter!

Heehee! Heeheehee!

As she spoke, a swarm of undead poured out of the alley.

“This city really is extreme,” Hardin muttered, narrowing his eyes as he gathered his aura.

“So glamorous on the outside, yet so rotten within.”

“Indeed. A fascinating city,” Elena said with a smile.

No one ever entered these filthy backstreets—

—and that was why Tartaros could rampage freely here.

“If they tracked us this precisely, they must have a way to trace our location.”

“Then the whole city might already be in their hands?” Hardin clicked his tongue.

That meant they couldn’t simply escape through the alleys without being pursued.

“In that case, there’s only one choice.”

Elena’s mana flared.

“We’ll take down the necromancer controlling this alley.”

“You’re not regrouping with Leo and Lunia? That could disrupt the operation.”

“Leo already met Lady Luna, remember?”

“Yeah.”

“Then let’s leave this world’s mission to our juniors.”

“Are you serious?”

“Yes.”

“No matter how talented, a first-year student can’t handle a Hero’s World—especially Lady Luna’s. We can’t just leave it to—”

“Leo’s different. He’s already conquered another Great Hero’s world.”

“What?”

Hardin’s eyes widened.

“And… Leo isn’t like the other hero candidates.”

“What do you mean?”

“Hm… hard to explain.”

Elena pressed her finger to her lips, thinking, then chuckled softly.

“Leo has the power to make the impossible possible.”

“What does that mean?”

“It means he’s not just someone with the qualities of a hero.”

Only half a year.

That was how long Leo had been attending the Hero Academy.

And in that time, he had faced countless life-and-death battles—

—and achieved feats worthy of being called miracles.

“Leo,” Elena smiled faintly, “was born with the potential of a Great Hero.”

bl

World Tree Plaza.

Lavish decorations, luxurious food, fine liquor, and soft, graceful music.

It was, unmistakably, a party for the chosen few.

Princess Sergia sat in a grand chair, taking slow breaths.

Countless elves approached to greet her—

—for the Elf King Ergen, tonight’s main guest, had not yet arrived.

That meant Sergia, the princess, was the first to receive attention.

While exchanging greetings, her attendant Aether looked worried.

“Princess Sergia, you’ve seemed unwell for some time.”

“No, Sir Aether. It’s just a momentary dizziness.”

Sergia—Lunia—forced a faint smile.

The scene she’d witnessed in the audience chamber still haunted her mind.

Erebos, plunged into deep slumber.

Just facing that being had terrified her to the core.

It was a miracle she hadn’t screamed.

If she had, and that monster had awakened…

Just imagining it was horrifying.

‘No… it’s more accurate to say I couldn’t even scream.’

Her hands trembled as she remembered Erebos.

‘How… how can that thing be here? Is it because this is the past? Then why can’t anyone else sense it?’

A false being within a Hero’s World—

It could’ve been her imagination, but Lunia knew it wasn’t.

Every instinct in her body screamed it was real.

A genuine creature, like herself—

—not a resident of this fabricated world.

A monster from reality.

‘I’m scared.’

Lunia unconsciously hugged herself.

Aether’s face grew even more concerned.

“Princess, you really don’t look well. Please, take some rest—”

Aether tried to lead her toward the World Tree.

“N-no, I’m fine, Sir Aether.”

Lunia shook her head desperately.

Her instincts rejected the idea of approaching Erebos.

For the first time, she truly felt the greatness of the legendary heroes she’d once admired.

How had they ever faced such a creature?

‘How did they defeat that monster?’

Could that even be possible?

The endless fear swallowed her whole.

She no longer registered who she spoke to or what greetings she returned.

Her head remained down as she fought to endure the terror.

Just facing the Primordial Evil had shattered her will.

While Lunia trembled, a small pair of feet entered her view.

They belonged to a young girl.

“Um… I greet Your Highness.”

The girl knelt gracefully, bowing her head.

Her pale green hair, reminiscent of leaves, caught Lunia’s gaze.

Her voice sounded young—perhaps Lunia’s age, or even younger.

But that voice—she had heard it before.

Maybe softer than she remembered, but unmistakable.

How could she forget?

The voice of the one she’d most admired and loved from fairy tales—

—the one she’d longed to follow, even if only at her heels.

Lunia slowly lifted her head.

And she saw her.

A beautiful girl with eyes that sparkled like stars.

A progenitor about her own age.

“My name is Luna Luminance.”

At the sight of her childhood idol, Lunia felt her fear melt away like a lie.

bl

‘…How is that hateful girl here?’

Sid, the vice principal of Balharun, scowled as he watched Luna greeting the princess.

That girl shouldn’t have been invited.

So how could she be here?

‘Is this the work of those rats?’

Sid’s lips curled into a cruel smile.

‘All the better, then. This will make flushing out those rats so much easier—’

“You lot really never change, do you? Still so good at sneaking around like rats.”

A voice from behind froze him in place.

“What do you mean, Teacher Akint?”

“Oh, playing dumb now? Tartaros.”

Leo smiled coldly.

“…How did you know?”

Sid turned slowly, his face dark.

Leo let out a faint laugh.

“If I hadn’t known about you beforehand, maybe you could’ve fooled me. But once I did—there’s no hiding that stench.”

“Stench?”

“Yeah. The kind of stench that makes your nose rot.”

Leo’s eyes gleamed with killing intent.

“You’ll pay for daring to play your little games in this world.”