Editor : Amethyst00



Aaron, with his arms crossed, glanced nervously at the beastkin woman glaring at him.

"Um… You did come to rescue me… right…?"

"What did you say?"

"Eek?!"

As Azonia's gaze turned fierce, Aaron let out a scream without realizing it.

Looking at the frightened wolf beastkin, Azonia spoke.

"Aaron."

"Y-Yes?"

"Don't speak formally to me."

"W-Why not?"

"It's uncomfortable when someone older than me like you uses honorifics."

"Huh? Aren't you older than me?"

"What?! Are you saying I look old?!"

"N-No! I never said you looked old!"

"You just said I look older than you!"

"W-Well… Yes. I thought you were like… an older sister."

"Arghhhhh!"

Azonia reacted fiercely to being called "older sister."

Thrashing on the ground, she suddenly slammed her fist down onto the prison floor.

Thud!

Crack—!

The floor began to split apart.

Aaron's expression turned even more terrified at the sight.

"I'm younger than you, so talk casually."

"How old are you exactly…?"

At Aaron's persistent question, Azonia smiled brightly.

"I'm sure your master taught you not to ask a woman her age."

"H-He did…"

Seeing Azonia's raised eyebrows, Aaron flinched.

"R-Right…"

Watching Aaron awkwardly try to correct himself, Azonia let out a small sigh.

To her, Aaron was someone who brought up complicated emotions.

Other heroes of the Dawn treated their Great Heroes—those who guided them—with reverence, admiration, and respect.

That wasn't unique to the Dawn heroes; most people felt the same toward the Great Heroes.

After the Age of Calamity ended and the Age of Heroes began, the deeds of those Great Heroes, who hadn't given up on the world even when the gods had, were celebrated.

To ensure their achievements wouldn't be forgotten, the gods themselves gifted the world with the "Hero Records."

'Since the beginning of history, the only ones to achieve feats surpassing the gods are those heroes—it's only natural.'

However, Azonia couldn't simply revere or admire Aaron like others did.

Deep inside her, the memories of those who couldn't be saved in Aaron's world lingered.

Those memories were thorns embedded deep in her heart.

If Aaron had just had a bit more courage, the children in the orphanage might not have died. Agon—both Aaron's and Azonia's master—wouldn't have been consumed by despair and broken down.

'Even though I know it's not entirely Aaron's fault…'

Still, Azonia couldn't escape the grip of those memories.

As a result, the emotions she held for Aaron bordered on love and hate.

She hated him for being a coward.

But she also respected him.

She found herself pathetic for harboring such conflicting emotions toward a hero.

That's why she hated it when Aaron used honorifics with her.

No matter the reason, Aaron was a Great Hero who deserved respect.

He was the person she aspired to be.

'I'll never forgive this damn coward for showing such pathetic behavior.'

That's why…

"So? You really did come to save me, right? Sent by Lysinas?"

Seeing Aaron look at her with expectant eyes only made her blood boil.

'Why?! Why is this guy always so timid and scared?!'

Azonia ground her teeth.

At that, Aaron let out another frightened squeal.

Azonia, glaring at Aaron with a terrifying expression, spoke.

"I wasn't sent by Lady Lysinas. I've been living in Raysar all along."

"Huh? Then how did you recognize me? People in Raysar shouldn't know what I look like."

Aaron tilted his head in confusion.

At this time, Lysinas had already shed her reputation as a delusional fool who thought she could save the world and was now seen as the world's hope.

It was the period when the Great Heroes were just starting to gain fame.

So in Raysar, people might've known the names of the Great Heroes but not their faces.

Naturally, Aaron was confused that someone from Raysar recognized him instantly.

"You seem to know me well."

As Aaron expressed his suspicion, Azonia hesitated for a moment before speaking.

"My master was also Agon."

"What? Wait—are you from his orphanage too?"

"Something like that."

"Wow!"

Aaron lit up with excitement.

He looked Azonia over carefully.

"No wonder you felt familiar."

He sniffed the air around her.

"You even smell familiar."

'That's because I learned your techniques.'

"Did you happen to see me when you were younger?"

Azonia shook her head, her brown hair swaying gently.

"Hmm. Then I guess you entered the orphanage after I left. You must've gone through a lot."

"I did go through quite a bit."

Azonia nodded at Aaron's words, then suddenly paused.

"Wait. Are you saying I look like I've suffered a lot. Like I've aged?"

Aaron's expression turned flustered.

A threatening aura radiated from Azonia's eyes.

"You damn mutt—!"

Azonia lunged to grab him.

"Don't run!"

"You're gonna hit me!"

"Of course I am!"

"I don't like pain!"

Aaron ran away desperately from Azonia, who was trying to grab him with murderous intent.

A moment later…

Azonia, exhausted, panted heavily.

She just couldn't catch Aaron.

Aaron cautiously approached her and asked,

"You okay…?"

'Ah! This infuriating guy!'

She knew he wasn't teasing. He was genuinely concerned.

But his innocent, pure-hearted behavior was enough to make her lose her mind.

As she breathed heavily through clenched teeth, Aaron said,

"Still, I'm glad. I was so sad when all the kids died from the plague…"

"…"

Azonia bit her lip slightly at his words.

Half a year before the orphanage children were massacred by Raysar's high command, Aaron had fled because he was afraid of going to war.

As a result, he never knew what kind of end the children met.

Not just Aaron—even the other Great Heroes didn't know the truth about what had happened in Raysar.

Even Leo only found out after reincarnating and exploring Aaron's world with Aru.

"By the way, are you sure we've never met?"

"Yes."

"That's strange. Your face feels oddly familiar."

"It's just your imagination."

The Aaron Azonia had met before wasn't the real one.

In the cycles of the hero's world, memories always reset.

Even if he had seen her in a previous loop, there was no way he would remember.

"How's Master doing?"

To Aaron's question, Azonia couldn't respond right away.

Just earlier, before being imprisoned, she had remembered Agon and said,

"I'm not sure."

"Huh?"

"It's been a long time since I last saw him."

The Great Heroes didn't know Agon's fate.

All they had heard was that he fought until the end from survivors of Raysar.

Even his life before that was a mystery.

But one thing was certain:

'When I saw him earlier… he wasn't in a normal state.'

A broken heart is hard to mend.

Even the greatest hero is no exception.

The once-proud Guardian of the Azure Sky had fallen.

And for some reason, he was now being called a traitor in Raysar.

'If just mentioning his name got me thrown in prison, then it's clear the Raysar elite are hunting him.'

Azonia knew the rulers of Raysar were deeply corrupted.

But even so, she couldn't understand why they would chase after a hero who had been broken so long ago.

As Azonia pondered, Aaron drooped his ears at her vague answer.

"I see… I gathered my courage to come here just to see him…"

He murmured in a disappointed voice.

Azonia asked, "Why did you come alone?"

"I wanted to show him. That I've changed a little."

"……?"

"You know, right? I'm kinda famous these days."

Aaron clenched his fist.

"This might sound arrogant, but thanks to Lysinas's guidance, I even fought against Tartaros. She told me I'm a huge help in saving the world. Even someone like me."

"…"

"The me that Master remembers was always a pitiful coward."

With a determined face, Aaron continued,

"But I've changed—at least a little. And I wanted to show him that."

To anyone else, those words might've been moving.

Unfortunately, the person in front of him was Azonia.

"Excuse me."

"Yeah?"

"Then why are you in prison?"

"I got caught while asking around about Master Agon."

"No, that's not what I mean."

"Huh?"

"With your abilities, you could've broken out and gone to find Master Agon yourself."

"…"

"You didn't really need Lysinas's help, did you? Wait—how long have you been locked up?"

"A-A week…"

"You've been here for a whole week?! What were you doing instead of finding Master Agon?!"

"B-But—!"

"But what?!"

"Running away after breaking out is scary…"

"AAAAARGH! You damn coward! You're driving me crazy!"

BOOM!

Azonia swung her fist in frustration.

A massive burst of aura tore through the prison, blowing away part of it—including the ceiling.

Aaron watched with his mouth agape.

BEEEEEEP!

"W-What's going on?!"

"There was a huge explosion in the prison!"

Azonia grabbed Aaron by the collar.

"Come with me."

"W-Wait, if we leave like this it'll cause trouble—"

"Not leaving is problem!"

"Eek?!"

Overwhelmed by Azonia's fury, Aaron couldn't say another word and was dragged away.

Moments later…

Chaos erupted as guards stormed the underground prison.

"E-Escape!"

"The prisoners have escaped!"

"Those connected to traitor Agon have broken out! Deploy the soldiers!"

Raysar was thrown into total turmoil.