Editor : Amethyst00



Zerev hunched his shoulders and nervously glanced at Chen Xia, who was sipping tea in front of him.

Chen Xia tilted her head as she sipped her tea.

"Aren't you going to drink?"

"Ah, y-yes! T-thank you, I'll drink it now—ow, hot!"

He jumped up as though he had burned the roof of his mouth while hastily drinking the hot tea. Chen Xia covered her mouth and laughed.

"Don't be so nervous. We might be in different departments, but think of me as your senior."

"Y-yes, ma'am."

Despite her words, Zerev couldn't seem to relax.

This wasn't just anyone—this was the future empress of Xian.

Which also meant: the Shadow King.

Zerev was from the western continent. However, he wasn't a candidate nurtured by a specific family or organization, but rather one raised by Shadows operating in the West under Xian's influence.

Though not officially a Xian national, he was effectively under Xian's umbrella.

In short, to Zerev, Chen Xia wasn't the ruler of a foreign country, but the emperor to whom he had sworn loyalty.

Under normal circumstances, he would've never met her—let alone dared to look her in the eye.

And yet here he was, sitting across from her, drinking tea.

'What was the etiquette in Xian again? The teachers would scold me if they found out. Wait, is it even right to call her "senior"? Maybe before, but… now she's officially going to be Xian's empress?'

His head spun from anxiety.

If he were a Shadow candidate from another power like Freyna, it might've been different.

But for the Shadows of Xian, the emperor was equivalent to the heavens themselves.

"Zerev?"

"Y-yes! Your Majesty!"

Chen Xia gave a slight wry smile at the even stiffer response.

'Looks like asking him to relax only made it worse.'

Watching the overly tense Zerev, Chen Xia asked,

"How are things with the other school friends? You seemed to be getting along well with them earlier."

"Um… Your Majesty…"

"Sunbae. We're speaking as schoolmates right now, aren't we?"

"T-then, sunbae. Please speak casually. I… I'm feeling overwhelmed…"

"…"

Watching him unable to even make eye contact, Chen Xia nodded.

"Alright, I'll speak casually then. So? Have you made any new friends?"

"Yes. I've become quite close with the Azonia kids. They're good people."

He scratched his head awkwardly with a smile.

But soon, his eyes slightly dimmed.

"However… it still feels like heroes and shadows live in different worlds."

"Why?"

"There are many things that are natural to me, but are frightening to my friends."

"…"

"I felt it even more deeply while exploring the Shadow World."

"Did you think heroes and shadows were the same?"

"Yes. I never thought I could become a hero, but… I didn't think we were that different. It's because of you, Your Ma— I mean, sunbae."

After Chen Xia revealed her identity, many changes occurred among the shadows.

The large number of shadow candidates entering the hero academies was proof.

There were far more people than she had imagined who longed for the light but were trapped in darkness because they were shadows.

After Chen Xia rose to the position of hero as Xian's successor, such changes accelerated.

'I wanted to show people that heroes and shadows weren't different.'

That's why she tried to guide many shadows toward the light.

But among them, just as many wanted to remain in the darkness as those who wished to reach the light.

In the end, there are things a hero simply cannot do.

Someone has to do them.

'Just like Leo-doryeong once did.'

Chen Xia had never thought deeply about that before.

She had simply longed for the light since childhood.

Because she dreamed of becoming a hero, she had assumed other shadows did too.

But she was wrong.

'It's hard.'

She realized that there were those who wished shadows and heroes could be the same, and those who believed shadows must remain as shadows.

'It's difficult.'

Shadow candidates like Zerev, who wanted to become heroes, were starting to waver.

Surely, Zerev wasn't the only one who felt this way.

'They live in different worlds. That's for sure.'

"Zerev."

"Yes?"

"Your friends will accept you for who you are."

"…"

"Someday, people will understand that we're not beings to be feared. So…"

Chen Xia let out a bitter smile inwardly.

She hated that this was all she could say.

But in Zerev's conflicted expression, she saw her own past self.

That's why she couldn't remain silent.

"Walk the path you want to walk."

At her words, Zerev fell into deep thought.

Then he glanced toward the café entrance.

This café was open to first-year students too.

"Well, I'll be going now."

"Huh? Oh, okay."

As Zerev stood to leave with her, Chen Xia waved him off and walked out of the café.

As soon as she left, the friends Zerev had parted from earlier burst into the café.

"Hey! What's going on? You're in the Magic Department—how'd you end up having tea with Chen Xia?"

"That was Chen Xia of Lumene? The Water Fairy?"

"She's so pretty!"

His classmate Senze from the Magic Department gushed, and the beastkin students from Azonia, Terem and Gavram, bounced in excitement.

"Weren't you going to eat with the Seiren kids?"

"They said we should go next time—something about it being a 4-on-4 meet-up."

Senze scratched his head.

Zerev commented,

"You guys got dumped, huh?"

"No way! It's because you didn't come!"

"Well, it was Chen Xia—who could blame you?"

"Yeah, that's fair."

As Terem and Gavram sided with Zerev, Senze smacked his lips.

"Yeah, I guess. So? What did you two talk about?"

Seeing the three boys buzzing with excitement, Zerev looked a little overwhelmed.

Meanwhile, outside the shop, Chen Xia turned and walked off.

'I should hear what the other shadows think too.'

A conflict among shadows.

When she sought advice about it, Leo had told her, almost like assigning homework, to find out for herself.

It had felt a bit unfair.

But—

'I can't rely on Leo-doryeong forever.'

Long ago…

'Just as my ancestor chose to walk the path of shadow herself… I too must find my own answers. Just as Leo-doryeogn said, I'm not a child anymore.'

Thinking of Leo, who shone like the sun, Chen Xia gazed up at the moon in the night sky.

'I may not be able to become the sun for the shadows… but maybe I can be the moon.'

bl

Freyna glared suspiciously at the lollipop shoved in front of her.

"What's this?"

"A gift."

Carl replied with a shameless grin.

"Hmph. You think a mere lollipop can earn the favour of someone from the Hergin family?"

"This is a handmade, premium candy I made myself. It's super expensive."

"No matter how pricey, it's still just candy."

Despite her grumbling, Freyna accepted the lollipop and popped it in her mouth.

The moment she did, a burst of fruit flavor spread across her tongue like biting into a perfectly ripe fruit.

It was sweet, but not overly so, with a refreshing taste.

"…It's good."

She muttered gruffly, sucking on the candy.

'What does my sister even see in this commoner?'

Thinking of her proud older sister, Freyna wore a look of utter confusion.

'She could easily marry a king or a successor to a heroic bloodline.'

Considering the influence of the Hergin family and Eliza's personal ability, it was more than possible.

'Is this her taste? I doubt it.'

Freyna glanced Carl up and down.

"So? You said the student council president called you. Why'd you come see me?"

"To get close to you."

Carl answered matter-of-factly. Freyna tilted her head.

"What for?"

"We might become family after graduation."

Freyna stared at Carl.

He gave an awkward smile.

"Was that too forward?"

"…It seems your feelings for my sister are sincere."

"Of course. And if you don't like me, I'll work hard to make you like me."

"You've misunderstood. Even if my sister marries you, I wouldn't mind."

"Oh? So you think well of me?"

"No. I'm just not in a position to object to my sister's decisions."

Freyna smiled sweetly.

"If you really do become a son-in-law of the Hergin family, then yes—I suppose I should get along with you."

"Doesn't sound like you mean family-kind-of 'get along.'"

Carl smiled bitterly.

"No. If you marry into our family, you will eliminate anyone who could bring harm to it. You are an excellent commander and strategist, after all."

"…"

"Support my sister well, and use me wisely. I'll be watching."

Though she smiled brightly, there was something chilling about her words.

Watching her, Carl remembered a conversation he had with Eliza.

'I'd like her to aim to become a hero too. So help her out, will you?'

'Me? How?'

'You're good at encouraging people.'

'Hah. True, I did land a girlfriend that way.'

He'd boasted that she could count on him, but now…

'This won't be easy.'

Crunch—crunch. As Freyna chewed the lollipop, Carl handed her another one.

She accepted it without a word and stuck it in her mouth again.

'I should consult Xia about this.'

Carl said to her,

"Well then, future sister-in-law. Shall we?"

"…You really are shameless."

She looked incredulous but still held out her hand.

"…What?"

"You're escorting a lady. Basic etiquette, isn't it?"

"I'm a sucker for that kind of thing."

"If you want to marry into our family, you'd better master etiquette."

At that, Carl offered his arm and escorted her.

"So? How are you planning to befriend me?"

"What do you like?"

"My sister."

"Oh! We have the same taste!"

Carl gave his trademark smirk.

Freyna pouted at him.

Carl kept talking with a cheerful smile, and though she acted aloof, she still answered.

'Talking to him is more fun than I expected.'

Freyna glanced at Carl's kind smile.

"So Carl-sunbae didn't have a smooth school life either, huh?"

"Well, I wouldn't be a hero otherwise."

He shrugged and sighed.

"If you get caught up in a hero dungeon without any warning, it's nothing but panic."

"Most people can't even enter those places—they'd say you're lucky."

"It's only lucky if you can actually survive. For me, it was a disaster. A real one."

He looked around with a shiver.

As they chatted, they had walked all the way to the outskirts of Raysar, where there were no people around.

"Imagine suddenly dropping into a world like the Great Hero's realm."

[Hero Record Open. A■on's World. Chapter: ■■–Ray■ar Destr■ction]

"Like this."

"Hmm. That would definitely be jarring."

"Right?"

Carl shook his head in disbelief—then froze.

"Huh?"

Freyna's face froze too.

Their gazes locked in midair.

"Ah, come on!"

Carl hurriedly pulled a notebook from his coat and threw it.

Whoosh—thud!

The notebook hit the ground, and both of them vanished.