Editor : Amethyst00



[The Return of the Wise Queen, Lysinas!]

The dormitory of the Lumene Clocktower was in chaos from early morning due to the newspaper being handed out by the newspaper club.

It probably wasn't just Lumene.

The entire world must have been shocked upon hearing the news.

"Wow! Incredible! The Wise Queen! It's Lady Lysinas! Lady Lysinas!"

"To think that after Lord Aaron and Lady Luna, even Lady Lysinas has returned… Except for Lord Dweno, they've all come back to this world."

Everyone was marveling at the arrival of these Great Heroes, signaling a cataclysmic new era.

And just as everyone was trembling in awe over that fact—

"Extra! Extra!"

A student from the newspaper club came running in a rush.

Seeing that, Elena waved her newspaper.

"Don't make a fuss. I'm already reading it."

When Elena, a fifth-year and the student council president, spoke nonchalantly to the head of the newspaper club, he replied breathlessly:

"It's not about Lady Lysinas! It's news about Lord Dweno!"

"Huh?"

Elena took the freshly printed second edition of the newspaper for today.

And upon reading the headline, her eyes widened.

"The Divine Blacksmith, Lord Dweno Returns?"

The sudden news that two Great Heroes had returned left Elena speechless.

"Is it true, Elena-sunbae?!"

Lyl ran over, eyes wide with amazement.

With news of Dweno shaking Lumene again, students were rapidly flipping through the paper.

And soon after—

Gasps of shock erupted.

"The Giant King has been defeated?!"

"What's going on?!"

"So… Lord Dweno defeated the Giant King and then vanished?"

"When? When did that even happen?!"

"How did we not know at all?"

Every student who read the paper had stunned expressions on their faces.

They began crowding around those holding the newspaper.

"Wait! I haven't seen it yet!"

"Quick, turn the page!"

Cries erupted all around.

Celia, who had been reading the paper with a serious expression, suddenly realized something and handed it to the student next to her.

"Ohh!"

"Give it here! I want it!"

Then, she approached two classmates who were quietly eating and ignoring the newspaper.

"The timing of the Giant King's defeat overlaps with when you were out on a mission with Leo, doesn't it? Do you two know anything?"

In response to Celia's question, Eliana crossed her legs and arms, then smugly raised her chin.

"Know something? I know a lot! What are you curious about? The image of Lord Dweno not recorded in history? Or perhaps the great heroes who helped save the world but were never documented? Or maybe my shining moment in the battle against the Giant King?"

"Gasp! What?! You met Lord Dweno directly?"

"You fought the Giant King?"

"Tell us the story!"

"If you want to hear, then bow in reverence before me, Eliana Raden!"

Eliana was practically leaning back from the praise and attention of the students crowding around her.

She wasn't the only one.

Students gathered around those who had gone on the mission with Leo, and the second-years cornered Luke.

"Luke, say something!"

At Juen's prompting, Luke looked flustered.

"W-why me? Aina and Haviden were there too, you know?"

"Aina is boring and Haviden is annoying."

Shasha smiled as she bluntly explained.

Amidst all the morning commotion, Duran spoke briefly.

"The one who fought the Giant King directly alongside Lord Dweno was Leo Plov."

With those words, the students nodded in understanding.

"That makes sense. It's Leo, after all."

"Didn't he fight alongside Lord Aaron and Lady Luna, too?"

"At this point, isn't Leo already a living legend?"

"Just judging by his achievements so far, he's more than earned it."

"Of course—he's the successor of the Hero of Beginnings."

Among the new generation descending from the great heroes—

Even the successors of other heroes had already earned their heroic titles in the public eye.

But Leo stood out above the rest.

"By the way, where is Leo?"

Everyone wanted to hear what happened directly from him, but he was nowhere to be seen.

"Now that you mention it, Chen Xia is missing too?"

While the students from the Knight Department were looking around in confusion—

Celia answered their curiosity.

"Leo went to Lumeria City for student council duties. Chen Xia went along as support."

bl

Lysinas, having stepped off the pier at Lumeria City, took a deep breath.

"How refreshing."

Smiling brightly, Lysinas left the dock.

And as she gazed at the bustling street ahead, her eyes widened.

The streets were filled with countless people, alive with energy.

Being the center of the world, Lumeria City was not just filled with humans.

Elves, dwarves, and beastkin were scattered among them as well.

The scenery vaguely reminded her of Godthrone.

Godthrone, too, had been a place where many races gathered.

But there was one fundamental difference.

"It's peaceful, isn't it?"

Chen Xia approached and smiled softly as he spoke.

Lysinas's lips curved gently.

"Yeah. It really is."

Even after answering, Lysinas continued gazing at the scenery endlessly.

Watching this, Leo checked his watch and spoke up.

"Stop admiring the view and let's move."

At his blunt words, Chen Xia gave him a scolding glare.

"Why the rebellious face?"

Leo pinched her nose in response.

"Don't bully her."

Lysinas frowned and smacked the back of Leo's hand.

Leo muttered gruffly.

"No time. Let's go."

With that, Leo began walking into the crowd.

"Please don't be too hurt, Lady Lysinas. He's probably just in a bad mood because of your fight yesterday."

Chen Xia rubbed her nose and spoke nasally, glancing cautiously at Lysinas.

She was surprised to see Lysinas smiling softly as she watched Leo walk away.

"You're not upset?"

"Were you worried I'd be hurt? Who did you inherit such cuteness from?"

Lysinas scooped up Chen Xia like a doll and rubbed her cheek against hers, genuinely delighted.

'I can't breathe.'

Crushed under the strength of a dragon, Chen Xia smiled through the pain.

Letting her go, Lysinas said, "He seems cold, but he cares."

"Huh?"

"He just wants to show me as much of this world as possible. He's surprisingly kind that way."

"True."

Chen Xia recalled Leo's subtle care and was impressed.

"You really know Young Master Leo well."

"I'd have to."

Lysinas replied with a weary tone.

"He's my oldest partner."

Saying so, she followed after Leo.

Chen Xia followed behind, muttering inwardly.

Partner.

She stared at Leo's back as he walked ahead.

Will I ever be able to be that to him, too?

bl

Shfff—

"You're so beautiful!"

Chen Xia exclaimed in admiration.

Lysinas smiled gracefully as she stepped out from behind the curtain, adjusting her outfit.

The trio had come to none other than Blessriger, a tailor specializing in Lumene uniforms.

The purpose was to get Lysinas her uniform.

Even Nera, the tailor, was in awe as she looked at Lysinas.

"How did I never know someone like you was at Lumene?"

Hair black as the night sky, eyes like obsidian.

Skin as white as porcelain.

Nera had tailored uniforms for countless students, even future heroes.

But none had the beauty, grace, and nobility of Lysinas.

If a goddess from the age of gods existed, she would look like this.

Due to anti-recognition magic, Nera had no idea she was the Wise Queen and could only lament that she hadn't known of such a student sooner.

"Please come to our shop again."

Humming cheerfully, Lysinas walked out into the street in her new uniform.

She examined her outfit.

"I used to be so envious hearing Luna talk about her school days."

Unlike Luna, who attended school as a child, Lysinas learned in darkness, as a black dragon.

"What do you think?"

She looked to Leo.

"You look good."

And she did.

Lysinas, who had made herself appear in her late teens—Leo's age—was breathtaking.

Even Chen Xia was awed.

Lady Luna was beautiful too, but…

It was a fundamentally different charm.

If Luna was approachable, Lysinas radiated untouchable elegance.

Chen Xia glanced at Leo.

The man loved by both the Wise Queen and the Poet of the Star.

'I guess a man who saved the world really does attract such people.'

Just as she shrank into herself—

"You're acting your age for once, huh?"

Leo sneered coldly.

Without hesitation, Lysinas dropkicked him in the face.

Her movement was flawless and elegant—but powerful and brutal.

"Let's go, Chen Xia."

Lysinas scoffed and took Chen Xia with her.

Chen Xia watched them with a serious expression.

'How do both of them love him?'

"What does she even like about that idiot?!"

Crack—

Hearing Lysinas grind her teeth, Chen Xia thought, 'Ah, I guess everyone thinks the same.'

Of course, neither of them knew Luna had probably thought the exact same thing.

Leo stood up, brushed himself off, and sighed as he followed them.

'Same now as back then.'

Watching Lysinas smile and chat with Chen Xia, Leo thought she hadn't changed.

Then, Chen Xia said, "Lady Lysinas."

"What?"

"Don't be too mad at Young Master Leo. He even reserved a top-tier restaurant just for you."

"He's rich?"

"He is a king, after all."

"He's done well for himself."

Lysinas scoffed.

"He just wanted to have a quiet meal with you…"

"He didn't reserve the place for a quiet meal."

"Huh?"

Chen Xia looked confused.

She didn't understand until dinner.

"That was delicious."

Lysinas dabbed her lips with a napkin, elegant as ever.

Chen Xia blankly stared at the mountain of empty plates.

The staff whispered things like, "Lumene students really are something else," as they cleared the dishes.

'No, Lumene students don't eat this much.'

Lysinas had nearly emptied the kitchen by herself.

Leo, used to this, sipped his coffee.

"Did it suit your taste?"

"Yes. It was delicious."

Lysinas leaned her chin on her hand, smiling brightly.

As a dragon, she was naturally a heavy eater.

Just as Luna was weak to alcohol, Lysinas loved good food.

Even as she devoured plates, she never lost her grace.

Watching the sunset, she murmured, "It feels like a dream."

She closed her eyes slightly.

Shopping peacefully, eating good food.

A normal day.

'Well… not so normal for me, I suppose.'

A world she had yearned for endlessly.

Lysinas whispered in disbelief.

"In the end, I just pushed it all onto you."

"What?"

"Saving the world."

'We will save this world.'

That had always been her conviction.

'Sorry… for leaving it all to you.'

But in the end, all she could do was apologize.

"You know, when I first reached out to you, I wasn't even sure we could save the world."

She spoke then as if she was certain.

But really, she had only said what was necessary to recruit Kyle.

"And in the end, I didn't even keep my first promise."

She had promised he wouldn't have to be the surviving hero—but that promise, too, was broken.

"It wasn't us who saved the world. It was you."

Looking out at the peaceful world, Lysinas said, "Thank you, Kyle. It's all thanks to you."

She smiled, and Leo responded.

"What nonsense is that? You think I did it alone?"

"Huh?"

"Like I said back then—it wasn't just me. It was me. You. Us."

Leo looked at Lysinas.

"Do you think our journey could've succeeded with just one person? If it was that easy, I wouldn't be struggling now, even after being revived."

The sunset lit his white hair.

"And I knew all along. When you said we could save the world—I knew you were lying."

"What?"

Lysinas was genuinely shocked.

"Then why did you take my hand?"

"I got tricked."

Leo clicked his tongue.

"I knew it was a con. But the more I listened, the more I started to believe it. That maybe, just maybe, it could be real."

He spoke indifferently.

Lysinas looked dazed.

"You turned your lie into truth. That's what matters."

Leo looked away, toward the setting sun.

"So stare at it as much as you want—the world your lie saved."

A faint smile touched his lips.

A smile of relief, that Lysinas could see this peaceful world.

"Because turning your lie into truth was damn hard."

'Haa, seriously… this guy…'

Lysinas propped her chin on her hand with a sulky look.

'No way I could ever hate him.'