Editor : Amethyst00



"Why aren't you calling him cute this time?"

At Eliza's question, Chelsea spoke in fluster.

"Well… because the situation is a bit too serious."

"For such a serious situation, isn't this human a bit too laid-back?"

Leo, now in the form of an infant, let out a long yawn.

Just as Eliza said, he showed no particular sign of agitation.

"By the way, why is it only Leo-doryeong who keeps getting younger? Could it be because of the power of the Desire King that Chen Xia defeated?"

Lyl wore a grim expression.

"Whatever it is, if he gets any younger, his very existence might be in danger."

Melina said seriously.

Hearing that, Leo nodded.

When Leo was first caught in the illusion of the Fairy King, he had returned to his childhood from a previous life.

But that had been when Leo was the source of the illusion.

'This time, the source of the illusion is Sylord.'

Only one person in this world knows how things looked right after the Age of Calamity ended.

Only Sylord.

Leo raised his left index finger.

Wuuung—!

Gray mana flowed from the fingertip and formed letters.

[Let's find Sylord first.]

Melina nodded at that message.

Due to the current structure of his mouth, speaking was difficult, so he communicated through mana.

[Let's split into teams.]

"I thought we were going to move together in Godthrone?"

Lyl asked, puzzled, and Carl replied.

"This is the Godthrone of the past. And as we saw earlier, Lady Velkia and Lady Bihar are here."

"Oh."

Lyl looked like she understood.

Even to the entities within the illusion, demons are recognizable.

"Besides, this is Godthrone—the place where heroes who fought against Tartaros to stop the Age of Calamity live, remember?"

No matter how high-ranking a demon, doing anything reckless in the heart of Godthrone would be difficult.

"As expected, Carl is quick to grasp the situation."

Impressed, Lyl looked toward Leo.

"How shall we split the teams, Hyung-nim?"

[Into three groups.]

"Three?"

[Professor Mel, Lyl and me. The other four.]

After assigning search areas, Leo activated his energy.

Kiran was summoned.

["Huh? Leo, what's with that look?"]

Kiran fluttered his wings in shock before Leo.

[Kiran. Move with Carl and look for Sylord's presence.]

["…Alright."]

Kiran lowered his voice slightly and nodded, taking the request to find Sylord seriously.

[Then let's move.]

Melina and the third-year group left the tavern.

"Excuse me, Hyung-nim."

Lyl said as she picked up Leo into her arms and exited the tavern.

The elf at the counter looked at the oak barrels with a serious face.

'I didn't accidentally make a rejuvenation potion or something… right?'

bl

Carl took the lead and began scouting the designated area.

Just before dawn.

"This is Lord Kyle's house."

Passing by Kyle's house, Carl commented.

Having visited Dweno's world, Carl was very familiar with Godthrone's geography.

At the mention of Kyle's house, Chelsea gasped.

"This is Lord Kyle's house?"

"It's so modest."

Eliza commented, seemingly surprised. Carl shrugged.

"Well, considering Lord Kyle's personality, I doubt he liked anything flashy."

"You speak as if you know Lord Kyle really well?"

Eliza tilted her head, and Carl grinned slyly.

"I've thoroughly studied the few remaining records of Lord Kyle."

"By the way, Carl, isn't the layout of Godthrone really complicated like a maze? Yet you know your way around so well?"

"Mapping is the most basic role of a support."

"Even so, completely mapping out such a complex area isn't easy… The more I think about it, the more impressive you are."

"Hmph."

Eliza, who had shown no interest in Chen Xia's words, snorted lightly.

Chelsea tilted her head at Eliza's reaction.

"Why are you acting proud?"

"I'm not."

Eliza replied sharply.

Chelsea stared at her with a mischievous smile, folded her arms, and said as if declaring it.

"Well! Carl is a talent the Lewellin family is actively trying to recruit!"

"Wait. You're recruiting Carl?"

"Of course. My brother's been making offers since Carl was in second year."

"You never told me that!"

"Huh? You never asked?"

Carl, looking a bit flustered, replied, and Eliza's expression soured deeply.

Watching them, Chelsea said,

"What's the big deal? Even if you two get married, Carl doesn't have to work for the Hergin family, does he?"

"Who said we're getting married?"

"Oh? Then are you giving Carl to my brother?"

"Who said I was giving him away?!"

"Okay, okay, calm down, Eliza."

"Don't joke! Carl Thomas! I told you—you're mine! Don't even think about going elsewhere!"

Eliza exclaimed, her emotions rising. Carl chuckled.

"I have no intention of going anywhere else."

"…Ah."

Eliza's face turned bright red in an instant.

"Oh my. So hot~ If someone saw this, they'd think you two were newlyweds—ouch ouch ouch!"

"You shouldn't tease your elder sister."

"Who's your elder—ow ow!"

"Eliza is older than Chelsea, after all."

Chen Xia grinned and pinched Chelsea's cheek.

Watching this scene, Kiran muttered,

["You guys are having fun. Real fun."]

Then, bringing both hands to his mouth like a megaphone, he shouted,

["Shall I go ahead and spread the rumors?"]

Whoosh—Crack!

Eliza's sharp whip lashed out at Kiran.

He narrowly dodged it and grinned foolishly.

"Kiran. Do you sense anything about the Fairy King?"

Chen Xia asked. Kiran shook his head.

"No."

"Have you heard anything about Godthrone?"

Chelsea asked with arms crossed. Kiran pouted and sighed deeply.

["Father never liked talking about the old days."]

Then he looked ahead with a complicated expression.

["Father and Leo must have had many good times over the last 5000 years. Why are they still so tied to this era?"]

"Why are you bringing up Leo Plov now?"

["Because Leo is the reincarnation of Kyle."]

Kiran answered instinctively to a question nearby and then gasped and covered his mouth.

Eliza narrowed her eyes and looked at the others.

"What nonsense is this fairy talking about?"

"Are you lying to us again?"

"We won't fall for it."

Chelsea, Carl, and Chen Xia chuckled.

Watching their reactions, Eliza clicked her tongue.

"This fairy is teasing us again with lies."

"That's probably it."

"Or so you thought! But judging by your reactions, you all knew! I thought something was weird!"

Eliza reacted sharply.

"Yeah! It all makes sense now—the unbelievable power, the mature attitude—now it all adds up!"

"Whoa, whoa, calm down, Eliza."

"Calm down? Do I look calm to you right now?!"

Eliza shouted in a flustered voice.

Seeing her, Chen Xia calmly approached from behind and put her in a chokehold.

Squeeze—!

"Urgh?! S-stop…!"

Eliza tapped Chen Xia's arm repeatedly.

"Calm down. Calm down."

Chen Xia smiled as she let go. Eliza clutched her neck and gasped for air.

"You didn't have to calm me down so roughly."

"Sorry."

Chen Xia smiled sweetly as she apologized.

Chelsea whispered quietly to Carl,

"Sometimes I really think Xia is scary."

"You feel that sometimes? I've always thought so."

Eliza took a deep breath.

"Fine. In an age where the Great Hero and the Dawn Heroes reappear… it's not so strange for the Hero of the Beginning to be reincarnated too."

Reincarnation is astonishing, but after all that's happened since entering Lumene, this was far from the most shocking.

And looking at Leo's actions, it's only natural to accept it.

"…So that's why I could never catch up."

Eliza muttered with a small sigh.

"Please keep it a secret that I know Leo Plov's true identity."

Chelsea tilted her head.

"Why?"

"Why make a fuss? It's an extremely important secret. I'll pretend I never heard it."

Just as Chelsea was about to nod at Eliza's words—

"She's just embarrassed about all the times she tried to one-up Leo in the past, right?"

"Probably."

"When she acts like this, she's kind of cute…"

Whoosh! Crack—!

"Ugh?!"

Eliza, face bright red, whipped Carl's neck and dragged him off.

["Uh oh, someone messed up."]

Kiran mumbled, and Chen Xia smiled.

"Don't worry. Eliza isn't the type to talk carelessly."

*["…"]

At Chen Xia's words, Kiran fell silent.

["Why are they still so tied to the past?"]

"……"

["For both Father and Leo… those must be painful memories."]

Kiran looked up.

["They must be happier now."]

"…Maybe when we really grow up, we'll understand their feelings better."

Chen Xia smiled bitterly.

They passed Kyle's house and walked into the street.

"Oh? Hello?"

Someone greeted them.

The group turned to look.

It was Lisa, a member of Arhi and the one who had promised a future with Aaron.

"Miss Lisa."

Chen Xia smiled.

"Out with the kids?"

"Yes. We were going to take flowers to where the Arhi comrades are resting."

"Ah…"

Lisa and the children were carrying armfuls of flowers.

"Luna made these flowers for us."

"They're beautiful."

Eliza exclaimed in admiration.

Lisa looked at her and said,

"If it's alright with you, would you like to come along? It's not far from here."

"Shall we?"

Given their connection to the former Arhi, they couldn't say there was no connection.

Though Lisa didn't know, the group clearly did.

Just as they were about to move—

The joyous street suddenly became agitated.

"No way!"

"Where'd that lie come from?!"

"B-but… it was what the gatekeeper elementalist heard from the wind elementals!"

"No… it can't be true… It just can't…"

Seeing the growing unrest, the group's expressions hardened.

Those who knew the future understood what news had reached Godthrone.

Lisa's face also stiffened.

"Lisa! Lisa!"

A dwarf in a wheelchair pushed through the crowd and rushed toward her.

It was Tanio, a member of Arhi who had crafted Lisa's ring.

"No, right? Tanio."

Lisa shook her head with a trembling voice.

"Lord Aaron… He couldn't have died, right? Right?"

The flowers in Lisa's arms dropped to the ground.

"…"

Tanio closed his eyes tightly and bit his lip.

"Not just Lord Aaron…"

"What?"

"All five of them… every one of them…"

"…"

"During the subjugation of Erebos… they all perished."

bl

Fwoooosh—!

Black flames roared violently.

Crack crack crack—

The spell began to fracture.

"Did you think you could suppress me forever, fairy?"

Erebos sneered.

"Your pitiful resistance moves me so, I will grant you a mercy."

Sylord bit his lip hard.

His body trembled.

"Enjoy the past you so dearly long for."

Gooooooo—!

'No more…!'

"Now that you've heard the news that your dear friends are dead, this moment suits you—who lives only because you cannot die—as your perfect end."

Kwagagagagang—!

The black flames that had been restrained surged like a tsunami.

Wuuung—!

Dragon language magic rippled.

Erebos's eyes twitched.

"The Wise Queen?"

Click Click

"Unfortunately, no."

Melina appeared behind Sylord with a soft smile.

"Nice to meet you, Flame of Calamity."

"Who are you?"

"I'm from the distant future, from your perspective."

Melina's eyes changed into dragon's pupils.

"Here to destroy you."

Flash—! Kwagagagagang—!

Her light magic blew away Erebos's flames.

"Dragon… Queen."

"Pleased to meet you, Lord Sylord. I've come to help."

Melina bowed with an ancient dragon greeting.

Sylord stared at her and said,

"That's not…"

"Yes?"

"That's not how you do it."

"…"

Melina thought seriously.

'Leo's like that too… Are all these ancient people this particular about manners?'