Editor : Amethyst00



After the appearance of Erebos’s black flames in the world of Lumene—

Rodia was urgently heading somewhere with Carl.

“Lady Rodia! There are more black flames ahead!”

“Damn it!”

Rodia cursed under her breath.

To Rodia’s eyes, the black flames were invisible.

They could only be seen by the raider.

But just because they couldn’t be seen didn’t mean they didn’t inflict real damage on the people inside the Hero’s World.

“Ahhhhhhh!”

“P-Please, help!”

The people of the Hero’s World, unaware of the cause, screamed in agony.

Carl bit his lip tightly at the sight.

To Rodia, it seemed like people were suddenly screaming and turning to ash.

But in Carl’s eyes, he could clearly see them burning and disappearing into the black flames. Though they screamed suddenly, it was the black fire consuming them.

Carl clenched his jaw.

“Don’t weaken, Carl Thomas!” Rodia shouted at him.

“They’re not real! In actual history, they didn’t meet such an end… Urgh!”

Rodia grabbed her head in pain.

It was another shock of self-destruction to her ego.

Every time she became aware that the Hero’s World was fake, her ego tried to consume her.

“I know.” Carl spoke resolutely, supporting the staggering Rodia.

“Right now, finding Lord Lumene takes priority.”

“…Right.”

Rodia steadied herself and took a deep breath.

“I’m basically blind right now. So, like before, can you be my eyes?”

“Yes. I actually just thought of a good method.”

Carl smiled and summoned his magic.

Fwoosh—!

A flame appeared before Rodia’s eyes.

She looked surprised.

“What is this?”

“It’s an illusion spell,” Carl replied, gazing ahead.

“I’ve recreated exactly the black flames I see in front of me.”

Rodia was impressed by his words.

“Good improvisation.”

“I’m really good at thinking on my feet!”

Carl grinned.

‘Though this seems like more than just quick thinking.’

In this urgent situation, he was providing perfect support to Rodia.

Of course, from Rodia’s perspective, the illusion before her eyes was crude.

It was merely an overlay of what Carl saw.

However…

‘To reflect what’s happening in real time into an illusion requires tremendous observational skill.’

Moreover, during the earlier battle against the black flames, he had guided Rodia—who couldn’t see them—with perfect instructions, resolving the crisis.

‘He’s got excellent command skills.’

He could read the flow of battle and lead accordingly.

‘Even though he’s just a young boy.’

Though he may lack raw magical talent, he showed promise.

With Carl’s support, Rodia extinguished the black flames and dismissed her magic, saying,

“In the future, do kids like you also become heroes?”

“Huh? Lady Rodia, that question is…”

“It doesn’t matter.”

Rodia’s eyes briefly dimmed.

Her head throbbed like it would split, but she didn’t care.

Carl hesitated at her question, then scratched his cheek.

“No.”

“What?”

“It’s the same in the future. Only those with the power to achieve great feats can become heroes.”

Rodia gave a bitter smile at Carl’s answer.

“Well… gods don’t change their tastes easily.”

She looked a little disappointed.

“I had hoped that through the Hero’s World, more people could bloom with potential.”

“Oh, we did benefit a lot from it.”

Carl gave a thumbs-up.

“If not for the Hero’s World, I wouldn’t have even made it to second year at Lumene. It’s all thanks to you, Lady Rodia. I’m always grateful!”

Rodia laughed at Carl’s cheerful response.

“By the way, did you already know about the god?”

When she heard that Lumene had gone to find a god, Rodia had said she had a place in mind.

While walking briskly, Rodia answered,

“I didn’t know exactly. But I did know there was something at the center of the world—underground Lumene. That’s the real reason Lumene gathered us in the first place.”

“So if there’s a god, it’s underground Lumene.”

“That’s right. Before the Age of Calamity, the ruins of the Age of Gods lay dormant beneath Lumene. If a god exists, that’s the only place. We’re heading to the entrance to those ruins now.”

Through a hidden passage, Carl and Rodia arrived underground and saw a massive open entrance.

Rodia looked puzzled.

“It’s open?”

“Was it supposed to be closed?”

“Yes. No matter what we tried, it wouldn’t open.”

“…Let’s go in for now.”

The two walked into the temple.

Not knowing what obstacles might be present, they moved with maximum caution.

But those efforts were in vain—they arrived at what appeared to be the temple’s core without much difficulty.

Even the door at the center was wide open.

Beyond it stretched a long corridor.

At the end of the corridor was a firmly shut gray door.

“What’s… behind here?”

With a tense expression, Rodia pushed the gray door.

Sssss—

It opened smoothly.

And revealed an endless space filled with countless bookshelves, stretching infinitely.

“What is this place?”

Rodia and Carl looked bewildered.

“Today’s been full of rare experiences.”

A beautiful child with gray hair and eyes—impossible to tell if boy or girl—walked toward them.

“For the one manifested by the Record System and the Raider to come to me together… It’s almost sad that it’s all fake.”

“Lord Rian!”

“Hm? You know me?”

When Carl said the name, Rian tilted his head, then wore a disinterested expression.

Carl felt something off about that reaction.

‘The Rian I saw in the bathroom was… well, kind.’

The Rian in reality had a sense of familiarity, but the one in the Hero’s World was completely different.

Their dull eyes stared at Carl like he was just a pebble on the street.

“You’re the god, right? So you’re really still… Ugh!”

Rodia clutched her face.

Rian stroked their chin at the sight.

“Oh? Destroying your ego to stay sane? As expected of the Dawn Dragon. A hero who saved the world.”

Rian let out a series of amused hums.

“You’ve come looking for Lumene, right? Too bad. He was here a moment ago, trying to hold back that monster.”

Rian pointed to the ceiling.

“But now, he’s gone aboveground to pursue the creature that escaped.”

Then Rian, having lost interest, flopped into their chair in the archive.

“Well, now that your curiosity’s satisfied, won’t you leave?”

Carl asked, “I have a question. Lady Rodia has been experiencing ego collapse ever since realizing this is the Hero’s World. Why are you unaffected, Lord Rian?”

“Why should I answer that? What’s in it for me?”

‘This god is more prickly than I expected.’

Unlike the future Rian who answered everything Carl asked, this one was different.

‘If this is their true personality… Maybe they only care about what they personally find interesting?’

Thinking that, Carl said, “You seemed really interested in Lady Rodia just now. Isn’t that enough compensation?”

“So you’re saying you’ve entertained me enough with that phenomenon, so I should answer? How arrogant.”

Rian looked at Carl with disdain, then grumbled.

“It’s simple. The Hero Record was created by a god. So the system can’t interfere with beings comparable to gods.”

Rian wore a proud expression.

“Even though I’m a fake created by the Hero Record’s power, I’m still godlike, so I can’t be defined as an error.”

“What about the Great Heroes?”

“Oh? Have any Great Heroes ever recognized a raider as an alien presence? How unusual.”

Rian looked intrigued.

“The Great Heroes are special. They’re the true owners of the Hero Record. Of course, for the world to remain stable after they perceive a Raider, strict conditions must be met. They must recognize the raider on their own.”

Carl nodded, recalling that during the raid on Dweno’s world, Dweno had known his identity.

“Well, your questions are answered, right? That should be enough in return for the amusement you gave me.”

Rian waved their hand dismissively.

“Now go. Don’t waste any more of my time.”

“…Don’t you have all the time in the world?”

“Can’t you see I’m working on a statue of Lord Kyle?”

Rian held up a gemstone sculpture.

“Go help Lumene and deal with that monster.”

“Can’t you tell us Erebos’s weakness?”

“Annoying. When you ask a god for knowledge, you need an appropriate offering in return.”

Rian glared at Carl irritably.

“Do you think a mere human like you can pay the price to ask a god for wisdom?”

Watching Rian mock him, Carl fell into thought.

Rodia said to him,

“Carl. We can’t get any more wisdom from this god. Let’s go help Lumene.”

“Without a pure mana trait, we can’t stop Erebos anyway.”

Carl stared at Rian.

“And this god definitely knows how to stop the black flames.”

At that, Rian smirked.

“You’re a sharp one.”

“If you know how, why won’t you tell us?”

Rodia scowled. Rian responded like it was obvious.

“Because it’s entertaining.”

As Rian giggled, Rodia’s expression went blank.

“This world’s fake anyway. Even if I burn away, I won’t die.”

Rian smirked arrogantly.

“For thousands of years, I’ve just managed the Hero Record. It’s been unbearably boring. But now, this struggle between Lumene and the monster? It’s the best entertainment I’ve had.”

“Ah, I see.”

Rodia smiled and stepped toward Rian.

Carl panicked and clung to her arm.

“L-Lady Rodia, please calm down. Calm down!”

“Let go! God or not, I’m gonna wreck this bastard!”

Rodia’s eyes flared with menace.

Rian just yawned in boredom at her reaction.

“I’ll try to persuade him!”

At Carl’s words, Rodia backed off, huffing in frustration.

“What a dull farce.” Rian muttered, unimpressed. Carl spoke up.

“If I give you satisfying curiosity and entertainment, you’ll tell us Erebos’s weakness?”

“You think someone like you can amuse and entertain me, who knows everything in the world?”

“In the future, the Hero of the Beginning is reincarnated.”

“…”

Rodia looked utterly stunned.

Rian snorted.

“Imaginative, aren’t you? Making up nonsense like that.”

Then they looked directly into Carl’s eyes.

After staring at his unwavering gaze, Rian eventually stood up.

And said,

“Sit.”

“Huh?”

“No, please, take a seat. Please sit down.”

Carl awkwardly sat in Rian’s chair.

Kneeling before him, Rian looked up at Carl.

“Is it okay for me to sit here?”

“Of course! How could someone like me stay seated while listening to the words of a messenger from Lord Kyle, greater and nobler than any god?! I’m ready to listen with all my heart. So? What did the Hero of the Beginning say? That he was reincarnated? Please, go on. Yes? Yes? Yes?”